Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To be struck dumb (with emotion): To be so overwhelmed by emotion (such as sadness, gratitude, or joy) that one is temporarily unable to speak; to be at a loss for words due to strong feeling.
   • To be speechless (with emotion): To have words fail or become choked up because of a powerful emotional state.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Nghe tin ấy, cô ấy nghẹn lời. (Hearing that news, she was struck dumb.)
  • Tôi nghẹn lời vì cảm động trước sự chân thành của mọi người. (I was speechless with emotion because of everyone's sincerity.)
  • Ông ấy nghẹn lời, không nói được gì thêm. (He was choked up and couldn't say anything more.)

Advanced Usage

• "nghẹn lời vì...": to be struck dumb because of... (a specific reason).
  • Anh ấy nghẹn lời vì xúc động trong ngày cưới. (He was speechless with emotion on his wedding day.)
• "đến nghẹn lời": to the point of being speechless.
  • Sự hy sinh của cô ấy khiến tôi cảm động đến nghẹn lời. (Her sacrifice moved me to the point of being speechless.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nghẹn ngào (adj): choked with emotion, emotionally overwhelmed (often describing a voice or feeling).
  • Giọng nói nghẹn ngào (A voice choked with emotion)
• Nghẹn (verb): to choke, to be obstructed (in a more general, often physical sense).
  • Nghẹn cổ (to have a choked throat)

Synonyms

• Cạn lời: to be at a loss for words (can imply running out of arguments or being speechless for various reasons).
• Bất ngờ đến mức không nói nên lời: to be so surprised that one cannot form words.
• Xúc động không nói nên lời: to be emotionally moved to the point of being unable to speak.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Nghẹn lời trong nước mắt: to be speechless through tears; to be so emotional that one cries and cannot speak.
  • Cô ấy ôm con, nghẹn lời trong nước mắt. (She hugged her child, speechless through tears.)
• Nghẹn ứ trong cổ họng: to have words stuck in one's throat (a more descriptive phrase for the physical sensation of being choked up).
  • Lời cảm ơn nghẹn ứ trong cổ họng anh. (The words of thanks were stuck in his throat.)

1. Be struck dumb (with emotion)
   • Cảm động nghẹn lời
     To be struck dumb with emotion