Definition

1. Verb:
   • To hesitate; to waver: To be uncertain or indecisive, to pause before making a decision or taking action because of doubt or conflicting considerations.

Usage

• The verb lưỡng lự describes a state of indecision or internal conflict. It is used when someone is considering options and cannot decide promptly or firmly. It often implies a visible pause or delay in action due to uncertainty.
• It is typically used in its base form or can be modified by adverbs to indicate the degree or manner of hesitation.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Anh ấy lưỡng lự trước khi trả lời câu hỏi khó. (He hesitated before answering the difficult question.)
  • Cô ấy lưỡng lự mãi mà vẫn chưa quyết định được. (She wavered for a long time and still couldn't decide.)
  • Đừng lưỡng lự khi cơ hội đến. (Don't hesitate when opportunity comes.)

Advanced Usage

• "lưỡng lự không quyết": To hesitate and be unable to decide.
  • Sự lưỡng lự không quyết của anh ta khiến mọi người sốt ruột. (His indecisive wavering made everyone impatient.)
• "phút giây lưỡng lự": A moment of hesitation.
  • Chỉ một phút giây lưỡng lự có thể làm thay đổi mọi thứ. (Just a moment of hesitation can change everything.)

Variants and Related Words

• Do dự (verb): To hesitate, to be hesitant. (A close synonym, often used interchangeably with lưỡng lự).
• Ngập ngừng (verb): To falter, to hesitate (often in speech or physical movement).
• Chần chừ (verb): To delay, to procrastinate, to hesitate (often implying a delay in action).

Synonyms

• Hesitate: To pause before doing something because of uncertainty.
• Waver: To fluctuate between choices; to be indecisive.
• Vacillate: To alternate between different opinions or actions; to be indecisive (more formal).

Related Phrases

• Lưỡng lự trước ngã rẽ: To hesitate at a crossroads/decision point.
  • Cuộc đời có những lưỡng lự trước ngã rẽ quan trọng. (Life has those moments of hesitation at important crossroads.)

Related Idioms

• Nửa muốn nửa không: To be half-willing, half-unwilling; to be ambivalent. (This idiom captures the feeling of being torn, similar to lưỡng lự.)
  • Thái độ nửa muốn nửa không của cô ấy thật khó hiểu. (Her half-hearted, ambivalent attitude is hard to understand.)

verb

1. to hesitate; to waver