trống hốc
Definition
- Adjective:
- Empty and cavernous / hollow and gaping: Describes a space, container, or structure that is completely empty inside, often implying it is bare, unfilled, and desolate. It emphasizes a stark absence of contents.
- Wide open and exposed: Describes something that is open to the elements, particularly wind, creating a sense of being unprotected and desolate.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Căn phòng trống hốc không một bóng người. (The room was hollow and empty, without a soul in sight.)
- Ngôi nhà bỏ hoang với những cửa sổ trống hốc. (The abandoned house had windows that were gaping and empty.)
- Cái tủ trống hốc chẳng còn gì. (The cupboard was utterly empty, with nothing left.)
Advanced Usage
- Used figuratively to describe a state of complete emptiness or lack, such as in emotions or resources.
- Sau trận dịch, ngôi làng trở nên trống hốc và buồn bã. (After the epidemic, the village became empty and sorrowful.)
Variants and Related Words
- Trống rỗng (adj): empty, void (more common and general term for emptiness).
- Tâm trí anh ấy trống rỗng. (His mind is empty.)
- Trống trải (adj): bare, exposed, open (often for landscapes or feelings).
- Cánh đồng trống trải. (The field is bare and open.)
Synonyms
- Empty: containing nothing.
- Hollow: having a hole or empty space inside.
- Bare: without covering or contents; exposed.
- Desolate: bleakly and depressingly empty.
Related Idioms
- Trống hốc trống hoác: An intensified form emphasizing extreme emptiness, hollowness, or a wide, gaping opening.
- Cái hang trống hốc trống hoác. (The cave was gaping and utterly hollow.)