Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Straight; not bent or curved: Describes something that is in a linear, direct line without deviation.
   • Honest; upright: Describes a person of integrity who is straightforward and truthful.

2. Adverb:

   • Immediately; right away: Indicates that an action happens without any delay.
   • Exactly; precisely: Used to emphasize the exact location, time, or nature of something.
   • Even: Used before a noun or noun phrase to introduce an extreme or surprising example, emphasizing the extent of a statement.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Hãy treo bức tranh cho ngay. (Hang the picture straight.)
  • Anh ấy là một người ngay. (He is an honest person.)

• Adverb:

  • Hãy làm việc đó ngay! (Do it right now!)
  • Cửa hàng nằm ngay góc phố. (The shop is right on the street corner.)
  • Ngay cả giáo viên cũng không biết câu trả lời. (Even the teacher didn't know the answer.)

Advanced Usage

• "ngay khi": as soon as; immediately when. Used as a conjunction to indicate that one event happens immediately after another.

  • Tôi sẽ gọi cho bạn ngay khi tôi đến nơi. (I will call you as soon as I arrive.)

• "ngay lập tức": immediately; instantly. A stronger, more formal synonym for the adverbial use of "ngay."

  • Yêu cầu phải được thực hiện ngay lập tức. (The request must be carried out immediately.)

Variants and Related Words

• Thẳng ngay (adj): perfectly straight; upright (often used for moral character).

  • Anh ấy sống một cuộc đời thẳng ngay. (He lives an upright life.)

• Ngay thẳng (adj): honest, frank, straightforward.

  • Tính cách ngay thẳng của cô ấy rất đáng quý. (Her straightforward character is very admirable.)

Synonyms

• Adjective: straight, direct, honest, upright.
• Adverb: immediately, instantly, directly, precisely, exactly, even.

Related Idioms

• Ngay như phỗng: as stiff as a statue. Describes someone standing or sitting very rigidly without moving.

  • Cậu bé đứng ngay như phỗng khi bị mẹ mắng. (The boy stood as stiff as a statue when scolded by his mother.)

• Lòng ngay dạ thẳng: to have a straight heart and mind; to be honest and upright.

  • Cứ sống với lòng ngay dạ thẳng thì không phải sợ gì. (If you live with an honest heart, you have nothing to fear.)

adj

1. direct; straight
   • để bức tranh cho ngay lại
     put the picture straight. straight forward; up right
   • người ngay
     a straight forward person. at once; pat right away
   • trả lời ngay
     the answer came pat
2. As soon as
   • ngay khi tôi đến lớp học bắt đầu
     the class began as soon as I arrived