nhăn mặt

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The Vietnamese word "nhăn mặt" is a verb that means "to pull a wry face" or to make a facial expression that shows discomfort, annoyance, or displeasure. It often indicates that someone is reacting to something unpleasant or surprising.

Usage Instructions:

1. Context: "Nhăn mặt" is used when someone reacts physically to something they find unpleasant or disagreeable. It can be used in both casual conversation and more formal contexts, but is more common in everyday speech.
2. Subject: It is typically used with a subject who is expressing their feelings through facial expressions.

Example:

• In a sentence: "Khi nghe tin xấu, anh ấy nhăn mặt lại." (When he heard the bad news, he pulled a wry face.)

Advanced Usage:

• You can use "nhăn mặt" in a figurative sense to describe a situation or reaction. For example, "Câu hỏi đó khiến tôi phải nhăn mặt." (That question made me pull a wry face.)

Word Variants:

• Nhăn: This is the root word meaning "to wrinkle" or "to scrunch."
• Mặt: This means "face." Together, they literally describe the action of wrinkling the face.

Different Meanings:

• While "nhăn mặt" primarily means to pull a wry face, it can also imply a reaction to something that is difficult or challenging, like when someone is deep in thought or struggling with a problem.

Synonyms:

• Cau mày: This means "to frown" and is often used in similar contexts to express displeasure or annoyance.
• Nhăn nhó: This term can mean to grimace or to make a face, often when in pain or discomfort.

Academic

verb

1. to pull a wry face