Definition

Verb phrase: - To sit around idly and gossip; to spend time moving from one place to another while engaging in casual, often trivial or gossipy, conversation. It implies a lack of productive activity and a focus on idle chatter.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Mấy người hàng xóm suốt ngày ngồi lê ngoài ngõ. (The neighbors spend all day sitting around and gossiping in the alley.)
  • Đừng có ngồi lê nói chuyện phiếm nữa, hãy tập trung vào công việc. (Stop sitting around gossiping and focus on your work.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase often carries a mildly negative or disapproving connotation, criticizing unproductive behavior and the spreading of gossip.
• It can describe the action of lingering in public or communal spaces specifically for the purpose of casual socializing and talk.

Variants and Related Words

• Ngồi lê đôi mách (verb phrase): To gossip; to engage in spreading rumors or talk about others' private affairs. This is a stronger, more specific term for gossip.
  • Cô ấy nổi tiếng là hay ngồi lê đôi mách. (She is notorious for gossiping.)

Synonyms

• To loiter and gossip
• To sit around chatting idly
• To engage in idle talk

Related Idioms

• While "ngồi lê" itself is a set phrase, it is most commonly extended to "ngồi lê đôi mách" (as above), which is a fixed idiom meaning "to gossip" or "to tell tales."

1. Hang aboutgossiping