thất thần
Definition
- Adjective:
- To look dazed or absent-minded: Describes a person whose facial expression or demeanor appears vacant, distracted, or lost in thought, often due to shock, deep contemplation, or illness.
- To lose one's usual composure or vitality: Refers to a state where someone loses their normal spirit, energy, or healthy complexion, appearing pale, dispirited, or not their usual self.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Cô ấy ngồi thất thần nhìn ra cửa sổ. (She sat dazed, looking out the window.)
- Nghe tin dữ, mặt anh ta tái đi trông thất thần. (Upon hearing the bad news, his face turned pale and he looked utterly shaken.)
- Đứa bé sốt cao, mắt nhìn thất thần. (The child had a high fever and a vacant look in its eyes.)
Advanced Usage
- The word is primarily descriptive and is often used in literary or narrative contexts to depict a character's internal state through their external appearance.
- It can modify nouns like "ánh mắt" (gaze), "vẻ mặt" (facial expression), or "con người" (person).
Variants and Related Words
- Thần thái (n): Demeanor, spirit, or aura. is essentially the loss of one's .
- Cô ấy có thần thái rất tự tin. (She has a very confident demeanor.)
Synonyms
- Dazed: Unable to think clearly; stunned.
- Vacant: Showing no intelligence or interest.
- Dispirited: Having lost enthusiasm and hope; dejected.
- Pallid: (Of a face) pale, typically because of poor health.
Related Idioms
- While itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, it describes a state central to expressions of shock or grief.
- Hồn xiêu phách lạc: An idiom meaning "scared out of one's wits," which can result in a appearance.
- Sự việc làm cho anh ấy hồn xiêu phách lạc, ngồi thất thần cả giờ. (The incident scared him out of his wits; he sat there dazed for hours.)