thao láo
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Wide open (of eyes): Describes eyes that are opened unusually wide, often due to surprise, fear, intense curiosity, or a lack of sleep. It implies a fixed, staring gaze.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Đứa bé mở mắt thao láo nhìn mọi thứ xung quanh. (The child stared with wide-open eyes at everything around.)
- Nó thức trắng đêm nên mắt lúc nào cũng thao láo. (He stayed up all night, so his eyes were constantly wide open.)
- Nghe tiếng động lạ, con mèo nằm dậy, mắt thao láo. (Hearing a strange noise, the cat sat up, its eyes wide open.)
Advanced Usage
- While primarily describing eyes, "thao láo" can be used figuratively to describe a facial expression dominated by such wide-open, staring eyes, conveying a state of shock, emptiness, or intense scrutiny.
- Khuôn mặt thao láo của nó khiến tôi sợ hãi. (His face with its wide-eyed stare frightened me.)
Variants and Related Words
- Mở thao láo (verb phrase): to open (one's eyes) wide.
- Nó mở mắt thao láo nhìn tôi. (It opened its eyes wide and looked at me.)
Synonyms
- Wide-eyed: Having the eyes wide open, especially with wonder or astonishment.
- Goggle-eyed: Having bulging or wide-open eyes, often from amazement.
- Staring: Looking fixedly with wide-open eyes.
Related Idioms
- Mắt thao láo: This is the most common collocation, meaning "wide-open eyes."
- Cậu bé nhìn với đôi mắt thao láo đầy tò mò. (The boy looked with wide, curious eyes.)