tử thi
Definition
- Noun:
- A corpse; a dead body: The physical remains of a human being after death. This term carries a formal, technical, or literary tone and often implies a focus on the physical, inanimate body, particularly in medical, forensic, or horror contexts.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Cảnh sát phát hiện một tử thi trong khu rừng. (The police discovered a corpse in the forest.)
- Các bác sĩ tiến hành khám nghiệm tử thi để tìm nguyên nhân tử vong. (The doctors performed an autopsy on the dead body to determine the cause of death.)
- Bộ phim kinh dị có cảnh tử thi bước dậy. (The horror movie has a scene of a corpse rising.)
Advanced Usage
- The word "tử thi" is more specific and clinical than the more common, general word for a dead body ("xác chết"). It is frequently used in legal, medical, police, and news reporting contexts.
- It can be used to create a deliberately chilling or macabre atmosphere in literature and film.
Variants and Related Words
- Thi thể (n): Another formal term for a corpse or remains, often used with similar clinical or respectful nuance as "tử thi."
- Xác chết (n): The most common and general term for a dead body. It is less formal and can be used in everyday speech.
- Thây (n): A corpse; this word can sound archaic, poetic, or blunt/vulgar depending on context.
Synonyms
- Corpse
- Dead body
- Cadaver (especially in a medical context)
- Remains (more respectful)
Related Terms and Phrases
- Khám nghiệm tử thi / Mổ tử thi: To perform an autopsy or post-mortem examination.
- Nỗi sợ tử thi: Necrophobia (the fear of corpses or dead things).