ngược xuôi
verb
Hanoi [ŋɨək̚˧˨ʔ suəj˧˧]Huế [ŋɨək̚˨˩ʔ suj˧˧]Saigon [ŋɨək̚˨˩˨ suj˧˧] browser voice
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
ngược xuôi means to go back and forth; bustle about.
Meanings of ngược xuôi in English
Verb
- figurative, intransitive to go back and forth, bustle about
Historical script (chữ Nôm / Hán)
Before the Latin alphabet (chữ Quốc ngữ) became standard, ngược xuôi could be written as 虐吹, 逆吹. Today Vietnamese is written only in the Latin alphabet.
Etymology
Compound of ngược (“opposite; to go upstream”) + xuôi (“with the flow; to go downstream”).
Frequently asked questions
What does ngược xuôi mean in English?
ngược xuôi (verb) means "to go back and forth; bustle about".
How do you pronounce ngược xuôi?
IPA: Hanoi [ŋɨək̚˧˨ʔ suəj˧˧]; Saigon [ŋɨək̚˨˩˨ suj˧˧]. Tones: ngược — heavy tone (nặng), xuôi — level tone (ngang).