Definition

Verb: - To mix, to knead (a substance, typically a powder or granular material, with a liquid): "ngào" describes the action of combining two or more substances, often a dry ingredient like flour or sugar, with a liquid (like water) and then kneading or working them together until they form a uniform, often soft or pasty, mixture. This process is common in food preparation.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Người thợ làm bánh đang ngào bột mì với nước. (The baker is kneading the wheat flour with water.)
  • Công thức yêu cầu ngào đường với nước sôi để làm siro. (The recipe requires mixing sugar with boiling water to make syrup.)
  • Trước khi nặn bánh trôi, bạn phải ngào bột nếp thật kỹ. (Before shaping the glutinous rice balls, you must knead the glutinous rice flour thoroughly.)

Advanced Usage

• "ngào đường": This is a common collocation meaning "to mix/melt sugar (with a liquid, often hot)" or "to candy". It specifically refers to the process of combining sugar, often by heating it, to create a syrup or coating.
  • Để làm kẹo lạc, trước tiên cần ngào đường cho đến khi hỗn hợp chuyển màu cánh gián. (To make peanut brittle, first you need to cook the sugar until the mixture turns caramel brown.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nhào (verb): To knead, to mix vigorously. This is a very close synonym, often used interchangeably with "ngào" for dough, but "nhào" can imply more vigorous physical action.
  • Nhào bột làm bánh mì cần rất nhiều sức. (Kneading dough for bread requires a lot of strength.)

Synonyms

• Trộn (verb): To mix, to blend. A more general term for mixing any ingredients.
• Nhồi (verb): To knead, to work (dough). Emphasizes the physical action of pressing and folding.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

Note: As "ngào" is a specific culinary verb, it does not commonly form phrasal verbs in the same way English verbs do. The action is typically modified by the object (e.g., ngào bột, ngào đường).

Related Idioms

Note: There are no common idioms directly centered on the verb "ngào".

verb

1. to mix
   • ngào đường
     to mix boiled sugar with