Definition

1. Adverb:
   • With a fixed, unblinking, and menacing stare: Describes the manner of looking at someone or something with wide-open eyes that do not blink, often to express anger, threat, or intense scrutiny.

Usage Examples

• Adverb:
  • Ông ấy nhìn trừng trừng vào kẻ đang nói dối. (He stared fixedly at the person who was lying.)
  • Đứa trẻ sợ hãi khi bị mẹ nhìn trừng trừng. (The child was scared when his mother glared at him.)

Advanced Usage

• The word is almost exclusively used in the reduplicative form "trừng trừng" to intensify the meaning of a harsh, glaring stare. It is rarely used in its single form "trừng" in modern Vietnamese without a following word like "trị" (to punish) or "phạt" (to penalize).

Variants and Related Words

• Trừng mắt (v): to glare, to give a stern look.
  • Anh ta trừng mắt với nhân viên. (He glared at the employee.)
• Trừng trị (v): to punish, to penalize severely.
  • Kẻ phạm tội sẽ bị trừng trị. (The criminal will be punished.)

Synonyms

• Glare: to stare in an angry or fierce way.
• Stare fixedly: to look steadily and intently without blinking.

Related Idioms

• Nhìn trừng trừng: to glare/stare menacingly. This is the standard phrase where the word is used.
  • Cô ấy nhìn trừng trừng khi nghe tin đó. (She glared when she heard that news.)