Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Astonished, stupefied, transfixed: Describes a state of being so shocked, surprised, or bewildered that one becomes momentarily motionless, speechless, or unable to react. It implies a profound impact that temporarily paralyzes one's senses or thoughts.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Nghe tin đó, cô ấy đứng sững sờ một lúc lâu. (Upon hearing that news, she stood transfixed for a long time.)
  • Vẻ đẹp của khung cảnh khiến du khách sững sờ. (The beauty of the scene left the tourists astonished.)
  • Cú sốc quá lớn khiến anh ta sững sờ, không nói nên lời. (The immense shock left him stupefied, speechless.)

Advanced Usage

• "sững sờ trước...": to be astonished/transfixed before/by...
  • Anh ấy sững sờ trước sự thật phũ phàng. (He was stupefied by the harsh truth.)
• Used to intensify a state of shock or awe, often describing a reaction to sudden, unexpected, or overwhelming news, sights, or events.

Variants and Related Words

• Sững (verb/adjective): To stop suddenly, to be stunned. Often used in combination (like ) but can imply a momentary freeze in movement or thought.
  • Anh ta sững lại khi nghe thấy tiếng gọi. (He froze when he heard the call.)
• Sửng sốt (adjective): Astonished, amazed. Similar to but may carry a slightly stronger connotation of amazement or being dumbfounded.
  • Tin tức khiến mọi người sửng sốt. (The news left everyone dumbfounded.)
• Ngẩn ngơ (adjective): Dazed, absent-minded, often from surprise, thought, or infatuation. Shares the element of being mentally stunned but can imply a more prolonged or dreamy state.
  • Cô ấy ngẩn ngơ nhìn theo bóng anh đi xa. (She gazed dazedly after his departing figure.)

Synonyms

• Kinh ngạc: Astonished, amazed.
• Bàng hoàng: Stunned, dismayed (often by bad news).
• Choáng váng: Dizzy, overwhelmed (can be physical or emotional).

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Đứng hình: (Slang) To freeze like a picture; to be so shocked one becomes motionless. A modern, colloquial equivalent.
  • Nghe tin ấy, tôi đứng hình mất mấy giây. (Hearing that news, I froze for several seconds.)
• Sốc đến sững sờ: Shocked to the point of being stupefied.
  • Kết quả khiến cả đội sốc đến sững sờ. (The result left the whole team shocked into stupefaction.)

adj

1. astonished, stupefied, transfixed