Definition

1. Adjective (Tính từ):
   • Murky, turbid, muddy: Describes a liquid, especially water, that is cloudy, opaque, and not clear due to being mixed with sediment or dirt.
   • Figuratively, confused, muddled: Can describe a state of mind or a situation that is unclear, confused, or chaotic.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Nước mưa chảy xuống làm dòng suối trở nên ngầu ngầu. (The rainwater runoff made the stream become murky.)
  • Sau cơn bão, nước sông đục ngầu ngầu. (After the storm, the river water was turbid and muddy.)
  • Đầu óc anh ấy cứ ngầu ngầu sau một ngày làm việc căng thẳng. (His mind was all muddled after a stressful day at work.)

Advanced Usage

• "đục ngầu ngầu": A common collocation emphasizing a high degree of muddiness or turbidity.
  • Ly nước sau khi khuấy đất lên thì đục ngầu ngầu. (The glass of water became completely murky after stirring the soil in it.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngầu (adj): The root word, also meaning murky or turbid. "Ngầu ngầu" is its reduplicative form, which often intensifies the meaning.
  • Nước ao ngầu vì bùn. (The pond water is murky because of the mud.)
• Đục (adj): Opaque, not transparent. Often used together with "ngầu" or "ngầu ngầu".
  • nước đục ngầu (murky water)

Synonyms

• Vẩn đục: Cloudy, turbid (often for liquids).
• Lờ mờ: Dim, blurry, unclear (for vision or situations).
• Hỗn độn: Chaotic, disordered (for situations).

Notes on Usage

• Word Type: "Ngầu ngầu" is a reduplicative adjective (tính từ láy). Reduplication in Vietnamese often adds emphasis or a descriptive quality.
• Context: Primarily used to describe the physical state of liquids. Its figurative use to describe abstract concepts like thoughts or situations is less common but understandable.
• Register: This word is used in everyday spoken and written Vietnamese. It is not highly formal.

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