Definition

Adverb: - Completely, entirely, to the fullest extent: Used to emphasize that an action or state is total, absolute, or has reached its final point. It is most commonly used in the fixed phrase "tắt ngóm".

Usage

• "tắt ngóm": This is the primary and almost exclusive modern usage. It means "completely extinguished" or "completely turned off". It is used literally for lights or fires, and figuratively for hopes, plans, or energy.
  • Đèn đường đã tắt ngóm từ nửa đêm. (The street lights were completely extinguished since midnight.)
  • Sau thất bại đó, hy vọng của anh ấy tắt ngóm. (After that failure, his hope was completely extinguished.)

Advanced Usage

• While "tắt ngóm" is a set phrase, the word "ngóm" itself can theoretically be used with other verbs to mean "completely" or "entirely", though this is very rare in contemporary standard Vietnamese and is considered dialectal or archaic.
  • Ăn ngóm (To eat everything completely) – This usage is now uncommon.

Variants and Related Words

• tắt ngóm (phrase): The standard and most common phrase containing "ngóm". It is an idiom meaning "completely out/extinguished".
• dúm (noun, dialectal): A small handful or pinch (e.g., – a pinch of salt). According to some dialectal references, "ngóm" can be a variant of "dúm", but this meaning is distinct from the adverbial "ngóm" meaning "completely".

Synonyms

• hoàn toàn: completely, entirely.
• hẳn: completely, utterly (often used with "tắt": ).
• sạch: clean, all gone (e.g., ).

Notes on Different Meanings

The word "ngóm" has two distinct, unrelated meanings: 1. Adverb (as explained above): Meaning "completely", used in "tắt ngóm". 2. Noun (dialectal, rare): A variant of "dúm", meaning a small bunch or pinch held with the fingertips (e.g., ngóm rau – a small pinch/bunch of vegetables). This usage is not common in standard modern Vietnamese.

Related Idioms

• tắt ngóm (idiom): Completely extinguished; dead; finished. This is the only common idiom featuring the word.
  • Công ty đó đã phá sản, mọi hoạt động tắt ngóm. (That company went bankrupt, all operations are completely dead.)

1. Completely, entirely
   • Tắt ngóm
     Completely extinguished