tái ngắt
Definition
- Adjective:
- Extremely pale; deathly pale; ashen: Describes a complexion that is unnaturally and severely pale, often due to shock, illness, or fear. It implies a pallor that is more intense than simply "tái" (pale).
- Livid; wan: Can describe a sickly, bluish, or leaden pale color, similar to the French "blafard" or "livide" from the reference.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Nghe tin dữ, mặt cô ấy tái ngắt. (Hearing the bad news, her face turned deathly pale.)
- Đứa bé sốt cao, người tái ngắt. (The child had a high fever and was extremely pale.)
- Sau ca phẫu thuật, bệnh nhân trông tái ngắt. (After the surgery, the patient looked ashen.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in literary or descriptive contexts to vividly portray a character's physical state resulting from extreme emotional or physical distress.
Variants and Related Words
- Tái (adj): Pale. A more general and common term for paleness.
- Mặt anh ấy tái đi vì sợ hãi. (His face turned pale with fear.)
- Tái mét (adj): Very pale; deathly pale. A near-synonym and the definition provided in the Vietnamese reference dictionary.
- Sắc mặt ông ấy tái mét khi nhìn thấy cảnh tượng. (His complexion was deathly pale when he saw the scene.)
Synonyms
- Deathly pale: Extremely and unnaturally pale.
- Ashen: Pale gray in color, like ash.
- Livid: Discolored, bluish-pale, often from bruising or anger, but can indicate pallor.
- Wan: Pale and giving the impression of illness or exhaustion.
- Ghastly pale: Pale in a shocking or frightening way.
Related Idioms
- Mặt tái ngắt như vải (idiom): Face as pale as cloth. A simile emphasizing extreme paleness.
- Thấy ma, nó đứng hình, mặt tái ngắt như vải. (Seeing the ghost, he froze, his face as pale as cloth.)