Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Dull, stupid, foolish: Describes a person who lacks intelligence, acts in a senseless or silly manner, or appears slow-witted.
   • Crazy, out of one's mind: Can describe someone acting in an irrational, bizarre, or wildly uncontrolled way, often due to strong emotions or intoxication.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Nó trông ngáo quá! (He looks so stupid/foolish!)
  • Đừng có ngáo mà tin lời nó. (Don't be foolish/stupid enough to believe his words.)
  • Cậu ấy say đến mức ngáo ngơ cả người. (He was so drunk he was completely out of his mind.)

Advanced Usage

• "ngáo ngơ": An intensified or more descriptive form meaning dazed, spaced out, or acting foolishly and absent-mindedly, often due to confusion, sleepiness, or intoxication.
  • Thức khuya xong sáng hôm sau ngáo ngơ cả người. (After staying up late, I was completely spaced out the next morning.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngoáo: A less common phonetic variant with the same meaning (dull, stupid). According to some dialectal references, it can also mean a bogeyman or croque-mitaine.
• Ngốc (adj): A more common and slightly milder synonym for silly or dumb.
• Khờ (adj): Simple, naive, gullible.

Synonyms

• Ngu ngốc (adj): stupid, foolish.
• Đần độn (adj): dull-witted, slow.
• Điên (adj): crazy, insane (stronger, often for "ngáo" meaning "out of one's mind").

Related Idioms/Phrases

• "Ngáo như bò": (Simile) As stupid as an ox; very foolish.
  • Làm thế thì ngáo như bò thôi. (Doing that is just as stupid as an ox.)
• "Lên cơn ngáo": To have a fit of craziness/irrational behavior.
  • Anh ta lại lên cơn ngáo rồi. (He's having another fit of craziness.)

Note on Different Meanings

• Noun (dt.) - ngáo: This is a homograph (same spelling, different word) meaning a metal hook, often shaped like a question mark, used for handling and moving goods. This meaning is unrelated to the adjective.
  • Example: Công nhân dùng cái ngáo để bốc vác hàng. (The worker uses a hook to handle the goods.)

adj

1. dull, stupid