Definition

1. Verb:

   • To lean; to incline; to tilt: To move from a vertical or straight position to a slanted or horizontal one.
   • To turn; to change (color, state, or season): To undergo a gradual change in color, condition, or phase.
   • To fall; to be felled: To cut down or kill, typically referring to trees or animals.
   • To lay something down flat or on its back: To place something in a supine or horizontal position.

2. Noun:

   • Way; direction; fork (in a road): A path, route, or one of several possible directions to take.

Usage Examples

• Verb (to lean/incline):
  • Anh ấy ngả người trên ghế. (He leaned back in the chair.)
  • Bóng cây ngả dài trên mặt đất. (The tree's shadow fell long on the ground.)
• Verb (to turn/change):
  • Giấy để lâu ngả vàng. (The paper turned yellow after a long time.)
  • Trời đã ngả về chiều. (The sky turned toward evening.)
• Verb (to fell):
  • Họ ngả một cây cổ thụ. (They felled an ancient tree.)
• Noun (way/direction):
  • Chúng ta nên đi ngả nào? (Which way should we go?)
  • Đường chia thành ba ngả. (The road splits into three forks.)

Advanced Usage

• "Ngả lòng": To be inclined or swayed in one's opinion or feelings.
  • Cuối cùng, ông ấy cũng ngả lòng đồng ý. (Finally, he was inclined to agree.)
• "Ngả màu": To change color, often implying fading or yellowing.
  • Bức tranh cũ đã ngả màu. (The old painting has changed color.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngả nghiêng (adj): Unsteady, wobbly, tilting from side to side.
  • Chiếc thuyền ngả nghiêng trên sóng. (The boat rocked unsteadily on the waves.)
• Ngả mũ (v, idiomatic): To tip one's hat; to show respect or admiration.
  • Tôi phải ngả mũ trước sự kiên trì của cô ấy. (I tip my hat to her perseverance.)

Synonyms

• Lean, tilt, recline (for inclining).
• Change, shift, turn (for changing state).
• Fell, cut down (for cutting trees).
• Path, route, direction (as a noun).

Related Idioms

• "Ba ngả bảy đường": Many different paths and directions; a complex situation with many choices or outcomes.
  • Cuộc đời có ba ngả bảy đường. (Life has many twists and turns.)
• "Ngả về": To lean towards; to side with or favor one option over others.
  • Cán cân quyền lực đang ngả về phe đối lập. (The balance of power is leaning toward the opposition.)

noun

1. Way; direction
   • cô ta đi ngả nào?
     In which direction did she go?

verb

1. to ferment
   • ngả một chum tương
     to ferment a jar of soya sauce. to turn
   • giấy để lâu quá đã ngả vàng
     This paper has been kept too long and has turned yellow

verb

1. to bard; to incline; to lean
   • ngả người trên ghế
     to lean one's head back. to kill