Definition

1. Verb:
   • To reflect upon, to think deeply and carefully: "ngẫm nghĩ" describes the action of pondering, contemplating, or mulling over something with concentration and seriousness, often to understand it better or to reach a conclusion.
   • To cogitate, to meditate: It implies a deliberate and thorough mental process, focusing on a specific subject, memory, or idea.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Anh ấy ngồi yên lặng ngẫm nghĩ về tương lai. (He sat quietly, reflecting upon the future.)
  • Cô ấy cần thời gian để ngẫm nghĩ về lời đề nghị đó. (She needs time to cogitate on that offer.)
  • Sau sự việc, tôi đã ngẫm nghĩ rất nhiều. (After the incident, I thought deeply about it a lot.)

Advanced Usage

• "ngẫm nghĩ về": to reflect on/upon something, to meditate on a specific topic.

  • Ông ấy thích ngẫm nghĩ về những triết lý sống. (He likes to meditate on life philosophies.)

• "ngồi ngẫm nghĩ": to sit and ponder.

  • Cô ấy ngồi ngẫm nghĩ một mình bên cửa sổ. (She sat alone by the window, pondering.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngẫm (verb): A shorter, more colloquial variant of "ngẫm nghĩ," meaning to think over, to consider.

  • Để tôi ngẫm đã. (Let me think it over first.)

• Suy ngẫm (verb): To reflect, to contemplate (often with a slightly more formal or literary tone, implying deeper thought).

  • Đó là vấn đề đáng để suy ngẫm. (That is a matter worth reflecting on.)

• Trầm ngâm (adjective/verb): Pensive, lost in thought; describes a state of deep, quiet contemplation.

  • Anh ấy trầm ngâm nhìn ra xa. (He was pensive, gazing into the distance.)

Synonyms

• Suy nghĩ: To think (a more general term for thinking).
• Cân nhắc: To consider, to weigh (options).
• Chiêm nghiệm: To contemplate based on experience or observation.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "Ngẫm đi ngẫm lại": To think over and over again, to turn something over in one's mind repeatedly.

  • Ngẫm đi ngẫm lại, tôi thấy quyết định đó là đúng. (After thinking it over and over, I find that decision was correct.)

• "Ngẫm ra": To figure out after deep thought, to realize upon reflection.

  • Ngẫm ra thì anh ta nói cũng có lý. (Upon reflection, what he said does make sense.)

1. Reflect upon, cogitate