xám mặt
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To turn pale, to blanch (especially from fear, shame, or shock): "xám mặt" describes the action of one's face losing its normal color, becoming pale or ashen, due to a strong negative emotion such as fear, extreme shame, or fright.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Nghe tin đó, anh ta xám mặt lại. (Upon hearing that news, he turned pale.)
- Cô ấy xám mặt vì sợ hãi khi nhìn thấy con rắn. (She went pale with fear upon seeing the snake.)
- Hành động của nó làm cả gia đình xám mặt. (His actions made the whole family blanch with shame.)
Advanced Usage
- "Sợ xám mặt": to be scared pale, to be terrified.
- Đứa trẻ sợ xám mặt khi bị lạc. (The child was scared pale when he got lost.)
- The phrase often implies that the cause of the paleness is a sudden, intense emotion that is visible on the person's face, affecting their demeanor.
Variants and Related Words
- Tái mặt (verb): to turn pale, to blanch. This is a very close synonym, often used interchangeably with "xám mặt".
- Anh ấy tái mặt đi vì đau đớn. (He turned pale from the pain.)
- Xám xịt (adjective): gloomy, dismal, dreary (describing atmosphere or color, not a person's face). This is a different usage.
- Bầu trời xám xịt trước cơn bão. (The sky was gloomy before the storm.)
Synonyms
- Tái mét: to turn deathly pale.
- Blanch: to become pale.
- Pale: to lose color.
Related Idioms
- Xám mặt xám mày: (an intensified form) to turn completely pale, to be utterly ashamed or terrified. It emphasizes the severity of the reaction.
- Lời chỉ trích của sếp khiến anh ấy xám mặt xám mày. (The boss's criticism made him turn completely pale with shame.)