ngủ gật

Definition

Verb phrase:
- To nod off, to doze off: To fall into a light, brief sleep, often unintentionally and while sitting up, typically characterized by the head dropping forward.
- To be drowsy, to be sleepy: To be in a state of strong sleepiness where one struggles to stay awake.

Usage Examples

Verb phrase:
- Anh ấy thường ngủ gật trong giờ học. (He often nods off during class.)
- Ông cụ ngủ gật trên ghế bành. (The old man dozed off in the armchair.)
- Tôi mệt đến mức ngủ gật trên xe buýt. (I was so tired that I nodded off on the bus.)

Advanced Usage

"ngủ gật gà ngủ gật": An intensified, colloquial form emphasizing repeated, light dozing.
- Buổi chiều, bà cụ chỉ ngủ gật gà ngủ gật trên võng. (In the afternoon, the old lady just kept dozing on and off in the hammock.)
"ngồi ngủ gật": To sit and nod off (specifies the posture).
- Sau bữa trưa, nhiều người có thói quen ngồi ngủ gật một lúc. (After lunch, many people have the habit of sitting and dozing for a while.)

Variants and Related Words

Gật gù (verb): To nod (usually in agreement or to a rhythm), not necessarily from sleepiness.
- Ông ấy gật gù tán thành ý kiến. (He nodded in agreement with the opinion.)
Buồn ngủ (adjective): Sleepy, drowsy (describes the state, not the action).
- Tôi cảm thấy rất buồn ngủ. (I feel very sleepy.)
Thiu thiu ngủ (verb phrase): To be in a light, half-asleep state, dozing.
- Em bé thiu thiu ngủ trong lòng mẹ. (The baby is dozing in its mother's arms.)

Synonyms

Chợp mắt: To take a nap, to have a short sleep (can be intentional or unintentional).
Thiu ngủ: To doze, to be half-asleep (similar to ).

Related Idioms

"Ngủ gật còn hơn thức trắng": (Proverb) A short nap is better than staying up all night. Equivalent to "Some sleep is better than none."
- Anh nên ngủ gật một chút đi, ngủ gật còn hơn thức trắng mà. (You should take a short nap, a little sleep is better than staying up all night.)