Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Awkward / Ill at ease: Describes a state of mild embarrassment, self-consciousness, or discomfort in a social situation, often due to shyness, unfamiliarity, or a slight social misstep. It implies a feeling of being flustered or not knowing how to act smoothly.
   • Bashful / Sheepish: Conveys a sense of shyness or coyness, often accompanied by blushing or hesitant behavior.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Cô ấy cảm thấy hơi ngượng ngịu khi được khen trước đám đông. (She felt a little awkward when praised in front of the crowd.)
  • Đứa trẻ ngượng ngịu giấu mặt sau lưng mẹ. (The child bashfully hid behind his mother's back.)
  • Không khí buổi gặp đầu tiên khá ngượng ngịu. (The atmosphere of the first meeting was quite awkward.)

Advanced Usage

• The word often describes the initial, tentative phase of an interaction or relationship where people are not yet comfortable with each other.
  • Sau lần cãi vã, họ gặp nhau với vẻ ngượng ngịu. (After the argument, they met each other with an awkward air.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngượng (adj): Embarrassed, ashamed. This is a more common and stronger term than "ngượng ngịu."

  • Anh ấy ngượng đỏ mặt. (He was embarrassed and blushed.)

• Bối rối (adj): Flustered, confused. This suggests more confusion than simple social discomfort.

  • Cô ấy bối rối vì quá nhiều câu hỏi. (She was flustered by too many questions.)

Synonyms

• Awkward: Causing or feeling uneasy self-consciousness.
• Bashful: Reluctant to draw attention to oneself; shy.
• Sheepish: Showing embarrassment from shame or a lack of self-confidence.
• Ill at ease: Anxious or uncomfortable.

Related Idioms

• While "ngượng ngịu" itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, it describes the state conveyed in expressions like:
  • Cười trừ cho qua chuyện: To laugh it off awkwardly to dismiss an uncomfortable situation.

    • Anh ta chỉ biết cười trừ cho qua chuyện trong không khí ngượng ngịu. (He could only laugh it off awkwardly in the uncomfortable atmosphere.)