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ngại

Level ≈A2 (approx.) adjectiveverb Sino-Vietnamese Top 3,000 most common
Hanoi [ŋaːj˧˨ʔ]Huế [ŋaːj˨˩ʔ]Saigon [ŋaːj˨˩˨] browser voice
Syllables · tones

Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →

ngại means worried; hesitant; fearful.

Chinese characters: 礙

Meanings of ngại in English

Adjective

  1. worried, hesitant, fearful

Verb

  1. to fear, to be afraid

Words with ngại

Example sentences with ngại

  • Tôi không ngại chăm sóc đứa bé cho bạn đâu. I don't mind looking after the baby for you.
  • Đừng ngại. Don't be shy.
  • Nếu bạn có bất kỳ câu hỏi nào, cứ hỏi đừng ngại. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.
  • Rất nhiều người ngại dậy sớm, cho dù họ phải làm điều đó. Most people have a great disinclination to get out of bed early, even if they have to.
  • Mặc dù muốn biết tên anh, tôi không có đủ dũng cảm, và tôi ngại đi hỏi. Even though I really want to know his name, I don't have enough courage, and I'm afraid to go ask.
  • Tôi hay ngại với lại không giỏi ăn nói, nên rất khó để tôi duy trì một cuộc trò chuyện. I have a fear of strangers and am a poor talker, so I find it difficult to continue conversation.
  • Mặc dù bố tôi vẫn còn ngại ngần về việc chuyển sang đạo Hồi, nhưng giờ thì chúng tôi đã nói chuyện với nhau về tôn giáo này. My father is still reluctant to convert to Islam but we converse about this religion now.

Bilingual example sentences from Tatoeba (tatoeba.org, CC BY 2.0 FR).

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 礙, sometimes written as 懝.

Frequently asked questions

What does ngại mean in English?

ngại (adjective) means "worried; hesitant; fearful".

How do you pronounce ngại?

IPA: Hanoi [ŋaːj˧˨ʔ]; Saigon [ŋaːj˨˩˨]. Tones: ngại — heavy tone (nặng).

Is ngại a Sino-Vietnamese word?

Yes. ngại is a Sino-Vietnamese word from the Chinese characters 礙.

Meanings, pronunciation and etymology from English Wiktionary (wiktionary.org, via kaikki.org; CC BY-SA 4.0), reviewed and edited; example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). IPA shown for three accents: Hanoi (Northern), Huế (Central) and Saigon (Southern). The Listen button uses your browser's Vietnamese voice, for reference only. Levels are approximate, estimated from word frequency. Spotted a mistake? Let NgonNgu know.