The Vietnamese word "nghếch mắt" can be understood as "to look up" or "to glance upwards." It often implies a physical action where someone tilts their head back or raises their eyes to see something above them.
Cô ấy nghếch mắt nhìn lên bầu trời.
(She looked up at the sky.)
Anh ta nghếch mắt để xem những ngôi sao.
(He looked up to see the stars.)
"nghếch mắt" can also be used metaphorically in some contexts, such as when someone is trying to gain a broader perspective or is curious about something beyond their immediate view. However, this usage is less common and mostly retains its physical meaning.
While "nghếch mắt" primarily refers to looking upwards, "nghếch" can also be used in other contexts to describe something that is not straight or something that is tilted.
"nghếch mắt" is a simple yet useful phrase for new Vietnamese learners to express the action of looking up.