tận mắt
Definition
- Adverbial phrase:
- With one's own eyes: This phrase is used to emphasize that someone sees something directly, personally, and without any intermediary, guaranteeing the truth or reality of the observation.
Usage Examples
- Adverbial phrase:
- Tôi đã tận mắt chứng kiến sự việc. (I witnessed the incident with my own eyes.)
- Bạn phải tận mắt nhìn thấy mới tin được. (You have to see it with your own eyes to believe it.)
- Cô ấy tận mắt thấy anh ta rời đi. (She saw him leave with her own eyes.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is almost always used with verbs of perception like thấy (to see), nhìn thấy (to see/look at), chứng kiến (to witness), or xem (to watch). It intensifies the verb by stressing direct, first-hand experience.
Variants and Related Words
- Mục sở thị: (Verb phrase) A more formal or literary synonym meaning "to see with one's own eyes" or "to witness personally."
Synonyms
- Personally: in person; done or made by a particular person.
- Firsthand: obtained or experienced directly from the original source.
- Directly: without anything or anyone in between.
Related Idioms
- Tai nghe không bằng mắt thấy: (Proverb) Hearing is not as good as seeing. This proverb underscores the value of direct, visual evidence, which is the core concept of tận mắt.