mũ ni
Definition
- Noun:
- A traditional conical hat with earflaps: A type of hat, typically worn by the elderly in colder regions of Vietnam, characterized by its conical shape and fabric flaps that fully cover the ears and the back of the neck for warmth.
- (Figurative) An attitude of indifference or withdrawal: A metaphorical expression describing the behavior of someone who is weary of the world and deliberately ignores or shuts out everything happening around them.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Ông tôi thường đội mũ ni khi trời trở gió. (My grandfather often wears a conical hat with earflaps when it gets windy.)
- Anh ta cứ giữ thái độ mũ ni che tai trước mọi lời góp ý. (He maintains an attitude of shutting out all advice.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase "mũ ni che tai" (literally: "the hat with flaps covering the ears") is a fixed idiom used to describe the act of pretending not to hear or willfully ignoring something.
- Đừng có mũ ni che tai trước sự thật. (Don't shut your ears to the truth.)
Variants and Related Words
- Nón lá (n): The classic Vietnamese conical hat made of palm leaves, without earflaps.
- Cô gái đội nón lá chèo thuyền. (The girl wearing a palm-leaf conical hat rows the boat.)
Synonyms
- Hat with earflaps: for the literal meaning.
- Willful ignorance / Indifference: for the figurative meaning.
Related Idioms
- Mũ ni che tai: To turn a deaf ear; to deliberately ignore.
- Công ty phải lắng nghe khách hàng, không thể mũ ni che tai được. (The company must listen to its customers; it cannot turn a deaf ear.)