Definition

Adjective: - Slightly drunk, tipsy: Describes the state of being mildly intoxicated by alcohol, not fully drunk but feeling some effects. - Very pale yellow, ivory-colored: Describes a color that is a very light, soft shade of yellow, similar to ivory.

Usage Examples

• Adjective (Tipsy):
  • Ông ấy uống vài ly bia đã thấy ngà ngà. (He felt tipsy after just a few glasses of beer.)
  • Cô ấy chỉ hơi ngà ngà chứ chưa say. (She is only slightly tipsy, not drunk yet.)
• Adjective (Pale yellow):
  • Cô ấy mặc chiếc áo dài lụa màu ngà ngà. (She wore an áo dài made of silk in a pale ivory color.)
  • Bức tường được sơn màu ngà ngà rất dịu mắt. (The wall was painted a very soft, pale yellow that is easy on the eyes.)

Advanced Usage

• "ngà ngà say": This phrase intensifies the tipsy state, meaning "quite tipsy" or "on the verge of being drunk."
  • Sau bữa tiệc, anh ta đã ngà ngà say. (After the party, he was quite tipsy.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngà (noun): Ivory. This is the root word, referring to the material or its color.
  • Đồ trang sức làm bằng ngà voi. (Jewelry made from elephant ivory.)
• Ngà ngà is the reduplicated form, which softens the meaning to "slightly" or "pale."

Synonyms

• Chếnh choáng: Dizzy, lightheaded (often from alcohol). This focuses more on the dizzy sensation.
• Lơ mơ: Hazy, groggy. This describes a dazed state of mind.
• Màu ngà: Ivory color. A direct synonym for the color meaning.

Related Phrases

• Ngà ngà men: A poetic phrase meaning "tinged with the warmth of alcohol" or "slightly intoxicated."
  • Giọng nói ngà ngà men của anh ấy sau bữa rượu. (His voice, tinged with the warmth of alcohol after the drinking session.)

Related Idioms

• Say ngà say ngật: This idiom describes someone who is staggering drunk, a much more intense state than "ngà ngà."
  • Anh ta về nhà trong tình trạng say ngà say ngật. (He came home completely staggering drunk.)

1. Tipsy
   • Uống có một chén rượu đã ngà ngà
     To feel tipsy only after drinking a cup of alcohol