ngẩn ngơ
adjective
Hanoi [ŋən˧˩ ŋəː˧˧]Huế [ŋəŋ˧˨ ŋəː˧˧]Saigon [ŋəŋ˨˩˦ ŋəː˧˧] browser voice
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
ngẩn ngơ means lost in thought; dreamy; spellbound.
Meanings of ngẩn ngơ in English
Adjective
- lost in thought, dreamy, spellbound ≈ ngơ ngẩn
- colloquial clueless, silly, naive
- Đồ ngẩn ngơ!What a silly goose!
Historical script (chữ Nôm / Hán)
Before the Latin alphabet (chữ Quốc ngữ) became standard, ngẩn ngơ could be written as 艮魚, 哏𠽐, 恨𢠐, 𢣩𢠐. Today Vietnamese is written only in the Latin alphabet.
Etymology
Compound of ngẩn (“stunned, dazed”) + ngơ (“to ignore, overlook”).
Frequently asked questions
What does ngẩn ngơ mean in English?
ngẩn ngơ (adjective) means "lost in thought; dreamy; spellbound".
How do you pronounce ngẩn ngơ?
IPA: Hanoi [ŋən˧˩ ŋəː˧˧]; Saigon [ŋəŋ˨˩˦ ŋəː˧˧]. Tones: ngẩn — dipping tone (hỏi), ngơ — level tone (ngang).