thất thanh
Definition
- Adjective:
- Describes a voice or cry that has changed in tone, becoming high-pitched, broken, or distorted due to extreme fear, panic, or sudden shock.
- It emphasizes the loss of one's normal, controlled voice because of intense emotion.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Nghe tiếng động lạ, cô ấy kêu thất thanh. (Hearing a strange noise, she let out a panicked cry.)
- Giọng nói của anh ấy thất thanh khi nhìn thấy cảnh tượng kinh hoàng. (His voice became shrill with fear when he saw the horrifying scene.)
- Đứa trẻ khóc thất thanh vì bị lạc. (The child cried out in a terrified voice because it was lost.)
Advanced Usage
- The word is almost exclusively used to modify verbs related to vocal expression, such as "kêu" (to cry out), "la" (to shout), "gọi" (to call), or "khóc" (to cry). It describes the manner of the cry.
- It conveys a sense of suddenness and loss of composure, often in a critical or dangerous situation.
Variants and Related Words
- Hoảng sợ (adj): frightened, panicked. This describes the general state of fear, while "thất thanh" specifically describes the quality of the voice resulting from that fear.
- Kinh hãi (adj): terrified, horrified. Describes intense fear, which can be the cause of a "thất thanh" cry.
Synonyms
- Panicked (as in a panicked voice).
- Shrill (with fear).
- Terrified (describing the cry).
- Distraught (describing the voice).
Related Idioms
- While "thất thanh" itself is not typically part of a longer idiom, it is a key descriptive component in phrases depicting alarm.
- Kêu cứu thất thanh: to scream for help in a panicked voice.
- Nạn nhân kêu cứu thất thanh. (The victim screamed for help in a panicked voice.)