Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Clumsy and foolish, appearing slow-witted: Describes a person who is physically large or grown but acts in a foolish, awkward, or simple-minded manner. It implies a lack of grace and intelligence.
   • Lubberly, oafish: Conveys the sense of being like a big, dull, and clumsy person.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Anh ta trông thật ngộc nghệch khi cố gắng nhảy. (He looks so clumsy and foolish when trying to dance.)
  • Đứa trẻ to con ấy có vẻ ngộc nghệch so với các bạn cùng lứa. (That big child seems oafish compared to his peers.)
  • Cậu ấy không xấu, chỉ hơi ngộc nghệch một chút thôi. (He's not bad, just a bit simple-minded and awkward.)

Advanced Usage

• Used to describe demeanor: Often used to criticize not just physical clumsiness but also a perceived slowness in understanding or social situations.
  • Nó cứ ngồi đó với vẻ mặt ngộc nghệch, không hiểu chuyện gì đang xảy ra. (He just sat there with a foolish look, not understanding what was happening.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngốc nghếch (adj): A very close synonym, also meaning foolish or silly, sometimes with a slightly less harsh connotation than .
  • Cô ấy cười một cách ngốc nghếch. (She laughed in a silly way.)
• Vụng về (adj): Clumsy, awkward. Focuses more on physical ineptitude than on foolishness.
• Đần độn (adj): Stupid, idiotic. A stronger and more direct term for lack of intelligence.

Synonyms

• Ngu ngốc: Stupid, foolish.
• Khờ khạo: Simple, naive, slow.
• Chậm hiểu: Slow to understand.

Notes on Meaning

• The word often carries a tone of mild derision or pity. It describes someone who is not necessarily malicious but is perceived as lacking in both physical coordination and mental sharpness, often due to their size or age not matching their demeanor.
• The reference "like a big dull-head, lubberly" and the example "like a stupid chicken" () perfectly capture the essence of being large yet foolish.

1. Like a big dull-head, lubberly