Definition

1. Adjective (describing a state):
   • To be stunned; to be dazed; to be stupefied: Describes a temporary state where a person is so shocked, surprised, or overwhelmed by something that they become motionless and lose their normal composure or awareness for a moment.
   • To be bewildered; to be dumbfounded: Indicates a state of utter confusion or amazement that renders one speechless or unable to react.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Nghe tin đó, cô ấy ngây người ra một lúc lâu. (Hearing that news, she was stunned for a long moment.)
  • Cảnh tượng trước mắt khiến tôi ngây người. (The sight before my eyes left me dumbfounded.)
  • Anh ấy đứng ngây người nhìn chiếc xe bị hỏng. (He stood there dazed, looking at the broken-down car.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase often implies the loss of immediate reaction due to an intense emotional or sensory impact. It is frequently used in descriptive narratives.
  • Sự thật phũ phàng khiến cả phòng họp ngây người. (The brutal truth left the entire meeting room stupefied.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngây ngất (adj): to be ecstatic, to be enraptured (often by joy or beauty).
  • Cô ấy ngây ngất trước vẻ đẹp của bức tranh. (She was enraptured by the painting's beauty.)
• Ngây thơ (adj): to be innocent, naive.
  • Đứa trẻ nhìn thế giới với ánh mắt ngây thơ. (The child looks at the world with innocent eyes.)

Synonyms

• Stunned: shocked into temporary inactivity.
• Dazed: unable to think clearly, especially due to a shock.
• Bewildered: perplexed and confused.
• Dumbfounded: greatly astonished.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Đứng ngây người ra: to stand stock-still in astonishment.
  • Thấy con về bất ngờ, bà cụ đứng ngây người ra. (Seeing her child return unexpectedly, the old woman stood there stunned.)
• Ngây người vì sốc: to be stupefied due to shock.
  • Cả đội ngây người vì sốc sau thất bại. (The whole team was stupefied by shock after the defeat.)

1. Look bewildred