Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Heinous, monstrous, or extremely serious: Used to describe an act, crime, or fault that is of an immense, shocking, or unforgivable scale. It conveys a sense of gravity that is almost beyond measure.
   • Enormous, monumental: Can describe something non-criminal that is vast in scale or intensity, though this usage often retains a negative connotation.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Hắn đã phạm một tội ác tày trời. (He committed a heinous/monstrous crime.)
  • Đó là một sai lầm tày trời trong quản lý. (That was an enormous/monumental mistake in management.)
  • Sự phản bội của anh ta là tày trời. (His betrayal was monumental.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is almost exclusively used attributively, placed before a noun (e.g., ) or after a linking verb like (to be). It intensifies the noun it modifies to an extreme degree.
• It carries a strong emotional and moral judgment, often implying outrage or condemnation. It is not used for neutral or positive descriptions of large size (e.g., not for "a huge building").

Variants and Related Words

• Tày đình (adj): Also means huge or serious, but is generally slightly less intense and severe than . It can sometimes be used in a more neutral or even slightly humorous context for something very large.

Synonyms

• Heinous: (of a person or wrongful act, especially a crime) utterly odious or wicked.
• Monstrous: exceedingly or dreadfully wrong; outrageous.
• Enormous: very large in size, quantity, or extent.
• Monumental: great in importance, extent, or size.

Related Idioms

• Tội tày đình: A serious crime or fault. Similar to but may be perceived as slightly less severe.
  • Lời nói dối đó là tội tày đình. (That lie was a grave fault.)

adj

1. heinous, very serious