Definition

1. Idiom:
   • To be lost or to stray in the dark of night: This idiom describes the literal situation of becoming lost or wandering astray during a nighttime journey, where the darkness prevents clear vision and orientation.
   • To be in a state of confusion, ignorance, or moral/mental darkness: Figuratively, it refers to being lost, confused, or lacking understanding and guidance, as if groping in intellectual or spiritual darkness.

Usage Examples

• Idiom:
  • Trong rừng sâu, họ bị hôm tăm tạm ngộ. (In the deep forest, they were lost in the dark of night.)
  • Khi mới học, tôi cảm thấy hôm tăm tạm ngộ. (When I first started learning, I felt completely lost and in the dark.)

Advanced Usage

• This idiom is classical and literary, often used in written texts or formal speech to evoke a vivid image of disorientation. It is less common in everyday conversation.

Variants and Related Words

• Lạc lối (v): to lose one's way.

  • Chúng tôi đã lạc lối trong thành phố lạ. (We got lost in the unfamiliar city.)

• Mù mờ (adj): dim, obscure, unclear.

  • Tương lai của dự án này còn rất mù mờ. (The future of this project is still very unclear.)

Synonyms

• To be in the dark: to be unaware or uninformed.
• To be at sea: to be confused and unsure what to do.
• To lose one's bearings: to become confused about one's position or direction.

Related Idioms

• Tối như bưng: pitch dark (literally: dark as if covered).

  • Trong hang động, nơi đó tối như bưng. (Inside the cave, it was pitch dark.)

• Mò mẫm trong bóng tối: to grope in the dark.

  • Không có hướng dẫn, chúng tôi chỉ biết mò mẫm trong bóng tối. (Without guidance, we could only grope in the dark.)