trông thấy
Definition
- Verb:
- To see / to catch sight of: To perceive with the eyes; to have something come into one's field of vision. This is the most common and direct meaning.
- To notice / to perceive: To become visually aware of something, often implying a moment of realization or recognition.
- To be visible / to be seen: Used to describe something that is clear or obvious to the eye.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Tôi đã trông thấy nó. (I saw it.)
- Trông thấy đám cháy, họ gọi cứu hỏa ngay. (Upon seeing the fire, they called the fire department immediately.)
- Tiến bộ trông thấy. (Visible progress.)
Advanced Usage
- "trông thấy" vs. "nhìn thấy": While often interchangeable, "trông thấy" can sometimes emphasize the act of looking and then seeing, or seeing from a distance. "Nhìn thấy" is generally more neutral for "to see."
- Đứng trên đồi, chúng tôi trông thấy cả ngôi làng. (Standing on the hill, we could see the whole village.)
Variants and Related Words
- Trông (v): to look, to watch, to look after. This is the root verb meaning "to look."
- Thấy (v): to see, to feel, to perceive. This is the root verb meaning "to see."
- Nhìn thấy (v): to see (a common synonym).
Synonyms
- See: to perceive with the eyes.
- Spot: to see, especially something difficult to find.
- Notice: to become aware of something by seeing it.
- Catch sight of: to see something briefly or suddenly.
Related Idioms
- Trông thấy là thèm: (Literally: to see it is to crave it) Used to describe something that looks incredibly appealing or delicious just by the sight of it.
- Bánh ngon quá, trông thấy là thèm. (The cake is so delicious, just the sight of it makes you want it.)