Definition

1. Adjective (used as an intensifier):
   • To the point of death / excruciatingly: Used to describe an extreme degree of a state or feeling, typically pain or discomfort, that is so intense it feels unbearable or as if it could cause death. It functions as a strong intensifier, similar to "terribly," "awfully," or "excruciatingly."
   • Excessively / extremely: Can also be used more broadly to emphasize an extreme, often negative, level of any condition, though it is most commonly associated with physical sensations.

Usage Examples

• As an intensifier:
  • Tôi bị đau đầu trối chết. (I have a terrible, splitting headache.)
  • Trời nóng trối chết. (The weather is excruciatingly hot.)
  • Mệt trối chết! (I'm dead tired! / I'm exhausted beyond belief!)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is informal and carries a hyperbolic, dramatic tone. It is often used in exclamations to express personal suffering or intense discomfort.
• It typically follows the adjective it modifies (e.g., đau , mệt ).

Variants and Related Words

• Chết đi được (adj/phrase): Another informal intensifier meaning "to die for" or "extremely," often used for both positive and negative extremes.
  • Ngon chết đi được! (It's delicious to die for!)
• Thấy mẹ (adj, slang): A vulgar slang intensifier meaning "extremely," conveying a strong sense of being fed up or overwhelmed.

Synonyms

• Excruciatingly: Intensely painful.
• Terribly: Very badly or extremely.
• Awfully: Very much, to a great extent.
• Excessively: To a greater degree than is necessary or normal.

Related Idioms

• Đau chết đi sống lại: To experience pain so severe it feels like dying and coming back to life; an idiom for agonizing pain.
  • Sau ca mổ, anh ấy đau chết đi sống lại. (After the surgery, he was in agonizing pain.)