tuôn lệ
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To shed tears profusely; to weep copiously: This phrase describes the act of crying intensely, with tears flowing abundantly and often uncontrollably. It emphasizes a strong, outpouring of emotion, typically sadness, grief, or overwhelming joy.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Nghe tin buồn, cô ấy tuôn lệ. (Upon hearing the sad news, she shed copious tears.)
- Đứa trẻ tuôn lệ vì bị ngã đau. (The child wept copiously because it fell and got hurt.)
- Trong đám cưới, mẹ cô dâu không kìm được mà tuôn lệ. (At the wedding, the bride's mother couldn't hold back and shed tears.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase "tuôn lệ" is literary and emotive. It is more intense than the common word "khóc" (to cry). It is often used in written narratives, poetry, or formal speech to depict a dramatic or deeply emotional moment of weeping.
Variants and Related Words
Khóc (v): to cry. This is the general, neutral term.
- Em bé khóc đòi mẹ. (The baby cried for its mother.)
Rơi lệ (v): to shed a tear/to have tears fall. This can imply a more gentle or silent crying compared to "tuôn lệ".
- Cô ấy rơi lệ trong im lặng. (She shed a tear in silence.)
Nức nở (v): to sob.
- Cậu bé nức nở sau trận đòn. (The boy sobbed after the spanking.)
Synonyms
- Weep buckets: to cry a lot.
- Burst into tears: to suddenly start crying.
- Cry one's eyes out: to cry very hard and for a long time.
Related Idioms
- Tuôn trào nước mắt: This is a very close synonym, meaning "to have tears gush/flow out." It is equally literary and intense.
- Cảm động trước món quà, cô ấy tuôn trào nước mắt. (Moved by the gift, her tears gushed out.)