Definition

1. Adjective (Tính từ):
   • To be keyed up, to be worked up, to be agitated: A colloquial expression describing a state of being emotionally agitated, impatient, or irritated, often due to a stressful or frustrating situation. It implies a feeling of heat or pressure building up, metaphorically located in the back of the neck (gáy).
   • To be hot under the collar: An informal idiom conveying a similar meaning of being angry or upset.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Chờ đợi kết quả lâu quá, anh ấy bắt đầu nóng gáy. (Waiting for the result for so long, he started to get keyed up.)
  • Đừng có nóng gáy lên thế, mọi việc rồi sẽ ổn thôi. (Don't get so worked up like that; everything will be fine.)
  • Cô ấy nóng gáy vì bị chỉ trích. (She got hot under the collar because of the criticism.)

Advanced Usage

• "Làm cho ai nóng gáy": to make someone keyed up/agitated.
  • Việc trì hoãn liên tục làm cho khách hàng nóng gáy. (The constant delays made the customers agitated.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nóng nảy (adj): short-tempered, hot-tempered. This is a more standard term for a quick-tempered personality, whereas "nóng gáy" describes a temporary state of agitation.
• Bực tức (adj): annoyed, irritated. A common synonym for feeling displeased.
• Cáu kỉnh (adj): irritable, grumpy. Describes a state of being easily annoyed.

Synonyms

• Tức giận: angry.
• Bồn chồn: restless, anxious (can overlap in contexts of nervous agitation).
• Sốt ruột: impatient, restless (often due to waiting).

Related Idioms

• Nóng như lửa đốt: (to be) as hot as burning fire; used to describe extreme impatience or anxiety.
• Nổi cơn thịnh nộ: to fly into a rage (stronger, more intense than "nóng gáy").

Notes on Usage

• Register: "Nóng gáy" is primarily used in colloquial speech and informal contexts. It is less suitable for formal writing.
• Nuance: It often describes a reactive, building irritation rather than deep-seated anger. The sensation is likened to heat rising to the back of the neck.
• Comparison: Unlike "nóng nảy" (a character trait), "nóng gáy" usually refers to a temporary emotional state triggered by a specific circumstance.

1. (khẩu ngữ) Get keyed up