Definition

1. Verb:
   • To raise, to lift, to tilt up: The primary meaning of "ngẩng" is to move one's head or face upward from a lowered or bent position. It describes the action of lifting the head to look forward or upward.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Cô ấy ngẩng đầu lên nhìn tôi. (She raised her head to look at me.)
  • Đứa trẻ ngẩng mặt lên trời. (The child tilted his face up to the sky.)
  • Anh ấy không dám ngẩng mặt nhìn ai. (He did not dare to lift his face to look at anyone.)

Advanced Usage

• The word "ngẩng" is often used in literary or descriptive contexts to convey emotion, such as pride, defiance, curiosity, or a shift in attention. It implies a change from a downward gaze to an upward one.
  • Sau thất bại, anh ấy vẫn ngẩng cao đầu. (After the failure, he still held his head high.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngửng: This is a direct variant with identical meaning and usage ("ngẩng" is a phonetic variant of "ngửng"). Both mean to lift or raise the head.

  • Ngửng đầu lên! (Lift your head up!)

• Ngước: Another verb meaning to look up or raise one's eyes/head, often implying a longer or more intent gaze upward.

  • Nó ngước nhìn lên tầng cao. (He looked up at the high floor.)

Synonyms

• Raise: to lift or move to a higher position.
• Lift: to bring from a lower to a higher level.
• Tilt up: to cause to slope upwards.

Related Idioms

• Ngẩng cao đầu: to hold one's head high (to be proud or unashamed).

  • Dù nghèo nhưng họ sống ngẩng cao đầu. (Although poor, they live with their heads held high.)

• Không dám ngẩng mặt: to not dare to show one's face (due to shame or guilt).

  • Sau lời nói dối, cô ấy không dám ngẩng mặt. (After the lie, she did not dare to show her face.)