Definition

1. Noun:

   • Tall shoot (of a plant): Specifically refers to the elongated, tender, and fast-growing upper stem of certain plants, especially when preparing to flower or bolt. Commonly used for plants like cabbage, mustard greens, or tobacco.
   • (Note: This is the primary, concrete meaning.)

2. Adjective/Adverbial Particle (often in the reduplicated form 'ngồng ngồng'):

   • Towering; very tall and lanky: Describes something or someone that is excessively tall, often implying a thin, elongated, and somewhat awkward height. Frequently used in the fixed phrase 'cao ngồng' or 'cao ngồng ngồng'.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Cải đã lên ngồng rồi, sắp ra hoa. (The mustard greens have bolted/shooted up; they're about to flower.)
  • Người nông dân ngắt bỏ ngồng thuốc lá để lá phát triển. (The farmer removes the tobacco plant's shoot so the leaves develop better.)

• Adjective/Adverbial Particle:

  • Thằng bé mới lớn nên cao ngồng. (The boy just hit a growth spurt so he's toweringly tall.)
  • Nó đứng ngồng ngồng giữa sân. (He stood toweringly tall in the middle of the yard.)

Advanced Usage

• 'Cao ngồng' / 'Cao ngồng ngồng': A very common idiomatic phrase meaning "exceptionally tall and lanky." It often carries a nuance of sudden or awkward growth.
  • Mấy năm không gặp, nó cao ngồng ngồng rồi. (I haven't seen him for years; he's shot up and become really tall.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nhồng: A less common variant with the same meaning as the noun 'ngồng' (tall shoot).
• Ngồng ngồng (reduplicated form): Emphasizes the state of being very tall and thin. Primarily used as an adjective/adverb.

Synonyms

• Vọt lên (verb): To shoot up (in height).
• Cao lêu nghêu (adjective): Gangly, lanky (similar connotation of awkward tallness).
• Thân cây non (noun): Young stem (for the noun meaning, but less specific).

Notes on Meaning

• The word is relatively specific to Vietnamese and often appears in agricultural or descriptive contexts.
• The adjectival use is more frequent in everyday language than the noun form.
• It is not typically used for elegant or proportionate tallness but rather for height that is noticeable, sudden, or somewhat ungraceful.

1. Tall shoot (of cabbage, tobacco plant...)
2. Towering
   • Nó lớn vọt va cao ngồng
     He shot up and was toweringly tall
   • Ngồng ngồng (láy, ý tăng)