Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To be single, to remain unmarried: Refers to the state of not having a spouse, of being unmarried. It often implies a state of being alone, especially when sleeping.
   • To lie alone: The literal sense of lying down or sleeping alone, which extends to the figurative meaning of being unmarried.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Anh ấy đã ba mươi tuổi mà vẫn nằm không. (He is thirty years old and is still single.)
  • Câu tục ngữ "Lắm mối, tối nằm không" khuyên chúng ta không nên quá kén chọn. (The proverb "Too many suitors, you end up sleeping alone at night" advises us not to be too picky.)
  • Cô ấy quyết định nằm không để tập trung cho sự nghiệp. (She decided to remain single to focus on her career.)

Advanced Usage

• "nằm không" vs. "độc thân": While both can mean "to be single," "nằm không" is more colloquial and often carries a slightly more vivid, sometimes pitying or proverbial connotation, emphasizing the physical state of sleeping alone. "Độc thân" is a more neutral, standard term for "single."
• Used in proverbs and folk sayings to convey wisdom about marriage and choice.

Variants and Related Words

• Ở không (verb phrase): Can mean to be idle/unemployed, but in some contexts, it can overlap with the idea of being single and at home. It is not a direct synonym for marital status.
• Độc thân (adjective): Single, unmarried (neutral, standard term).
• Một mình (adjective/adverb): Alone, by oneself (broader term, not specific to marital status).

Synonyms

• Độc thân: To be single, unmarried.
• Sống một mình: To live alone.

Related Idioms

• Lắm mối, tối nằm không: A proverb literally meaning "Too many suitors (to choose from), you end up sleeping alone at night." It warns against being overly choosy, as it may lead to remaining unmarried.

1. Be single, remain single