Definition

1. Verb:
   • To bow one's head deeply; to hang one's head low: Describes the action of lowering one's head significantly, often due to strong emotions like shame, sadness, deep thought, or intense focus. It implies a posture where the head is bent forward and down, with the gaze directed at the ground or a surface below.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Anh ấy cúi gằm mặt xuống vì xấu hổ. (He hung his head low in shame.)
  • Cô bé cúi gằm người trên trang sách, chăm chú đọc. (The little girl bent her head low over the book page, reading intently.)
  • Sau lời khiển trách, nó chỉ biết cúi gằm không nói. (After the reprimand, he could only bow his head deeply and remain silent.)

Advanced Usage

• "cúi gằm mặt": A common collocation emphasizing the lowering of the face or head.

  • Cậu bé cúi gằm mặt nhận lỗi. (The boy hung his head in admission of his mistake.)

• Implied Emotional State: The phrase often conveys an unspoken emotional weight, such as dejection, submission, or profound concentration, without needing to state the emotion explicitly.

  • Cả phòng im lặng, mọi người đều cúi gằm. (The whole room was silent, everyone had their heads bowed low.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cúi (verb): To bow, to bend down. A more general term for lowering the head or body.

  • Cúi chào (to bow in greeting).

• Gằm (verb): To press or lower (the face/head) against something. Often used in combination with "cúi" for emphasis.

  • Gằm mặt vào bàn (to have one's face pressed against the desk).

Synonyms

• Cúi đầu: To bow one's head (can be less intense or more formal than "cúi gằm").
• Gục đầu: To let one's head drop or slump (often suggests sudden exhaustion or defeat).

Related Phrases

• Cúi gằm cúi mặt: An intensified, idiomatic repetition emphasizing a state of being deeply bowed down, often by worry or shame.
  • Lo nghĩ nhiều, ông ấy suốt ngày cúi gằm cúi mặt. (Worried and pensive, he goes around all day with his head hung low.)