Definition

1. Onomatopoeia (Từ tượng thanh):
   • The squealing or high-pitched grunting sound of a pig: "eng éc" is a reduplicative word that imitates the characteristic sound made by pigs, especially when they are squealing or grunting.

Usage Examples

• Onomatopoeia:
  • Con lợn kêu eng éc suốt ngày. (The pig squealed eng éc all day long.)
  • Từ chuồng heo vang lên tiếng eng éc. (From the pigsty came the sound of eng éc squealing.)

Advanced Usage

• Used in descriptive or narrative contexts: The word is primarily used to vividly describe the sound environment, often in storytelling or when depicting rural scenes.
  • Cảnh nông trại yên tĩnh bỗng bị phá vỡ bởi tiếng lợn con eng éc đòi ăn. (The quiet farm scene was suddenly broken by the eng éc squealing of piglets demanding food.)

Variants and Related Words

• Éc: The root component of the reduplicative form. It carries the same core meaning as the sound a pig makes.
  • Lợn kêu éc éc. (The pig grunted éc éc.)
• Ụt ịt: Another onomatopoeic word for the grunting sound of a pig, but often implying a softer, more continuous grunt.
• Ụt ịt, eng éc: Sometimes used together for a more vivid auditory description.

Synonyms

• Kêu (to call/cry): A general verb for an animal making a sound. "Eng éc" specifies the type of sound.
• La (to yell): Can be used informally for a loud animal cry, but lacks the specific onomatopoeic quality.

Notes on Usage

• Reduplicative Word: "Eng éc" is a láy (reduplicative) word, a common feature in Vietnamese for forming onomatopoeia or adjectives. The first part "eng" modifies the root "éc" to create a more complete sound imitation.
• Specific Context: This word is almost exclusively used for the sound of pigs. Using it for other animals would sound incorrect.
• Informal Register: It is commonly used in spoken language and informal writing, such as in literature or descriptive passages, but is less common in formal academic texts.

1. xem éc (láy)