Definition

1. Noun:
   • The cry of a water buffalo or a cow: "nghé ngọ" refers specifically to the lowing or bellowing sound made by a buffalo or a cow.

Usage

• "Nghé ngọ" is an onomatopoeic word, imitating the sound of the animal. It is used in literature or descriptive contexts to evoke the sound or atmosphere of the countryside.
• It is a literary and somewhat archaic term. In everyday modern conversation, simpler words like "tiếng kêu" (the cry) or descriptions are more common.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong buổi chiều tà, tiếng nghé ngọ vang lên từ cánh đồng. (In the late afternoon, the lowing of buffaloes rose from the field.)
  • Bầu trời yên tĩnh, chỉ còn nghe thấy tiếng nghé ngọ của đàn trâu. (The sky was quiet, only the bellowing of the herd of buffaloes could be heard.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is primarily used in written Vietnamese, especially in poetry or prose depicting rural life, to create vivid auditory imagery.

Variants and Related Words

• Nghé nghẹ: A direct synonym with identical meaning and usage.
• Beuglement (French loan concept): The French word for bellowing/mooing, sometimes used in bilingual or specific contexts to describe the same sound.
• Rống: A more general verb for "to roar" or "to bellow," which can be used for various large animals, including buffaloes and cows. "Nghé ngọ" is the specific noun for the sound itself.

Synonyms

• Tiếng rống (của trâu/bò): The roar/bellow (of a buffalo/cow).
• Tiếng kêu (của trâu/bò): The cry (of a buffalo/cow).

Notes on Meaning

• "Nghé ngọ" refers exclusively to the vocalization of bovines like water buffaloes and cows. It is not used for other animals.
• As noted in the reference, it is synonymous with "nghé nghẹ." Both forms are correct and interchangeable.

1. như nghé nghẹ