Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To crane one's neck: To stretch one's neck upward or forward, typically in an effort to see something better or to look at something with curiosity or effort.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Đám đông nghển cổ để xem ngôi sao điện ảnh bước ra khỏi xe. (The crowd craned their necks to see the movie star step out of the car.)
  • Cậu bé nghển cổ nhìn lên những cành cây cao tìm tổ chim. (The boy craned his neck to look up at the high tree branches searching for a bird's nest.)
  • Tôi phải nghển cổ mới đọc được dòng chữ nhỏ ở phía trên. (I had to crane my neck to read the small text at the top.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase "nghển cổ" vividly describes a physical action that often implies difficulty, curiosity, or a desire to overcome an obstruction (like a tall object or a crowd) to gain a view.
• It can be used metaphorically to describe making a great effort to attain knowledge or information that is just out of reach.
  • Anh ấy luôn nghển cổ tìm hiểu những kiến thức mới. (He is always straining [like craning his neck] to learn new knowledge.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nghển (verb): To stretch or crane (the neck). This is the root verb, and "nghển cổ" is its most common and complete form.
• Ngẩng cổ (verb phrase): To raise one's head/neck. This implies a more general upward movement of the head, not necessarily with the straining connotation of "nghển cổ".
• Vươn cổ (verb phrase): To stretch one's neck. Similar to "nghển cổ" but can be more neutral, sometimes used for exercises.

Synonyms

• Ngước cổ lên: To tilt/lift one's neck up.
• Vươn cao cổ: To stretch one's neck high.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Nghển cổ lên: To crane one's neck upward (adds directional emphasis).
  • Cô ấy nghển cổ lên nhìn bức tranh treo quá cao. (She craned her neck upward to look at the painting hung too high.)
• Nghển cổ ra: To crane one's neck outward/forward (adds directional emphasis).
  • Anh ấy nghển cổ ra ngoài cửa sổ để xem chuyện gì đang xảy ra. (He craned his neck out the window to see what was happening.)

Related Idioms

• Nghển cổ chờ mong: To crane one's neck in anticipation. This idiom emphasizes waiting for something with eager expectation.
  • Các fan hâm mộ nghển cổ chờ mong thần tượng xuất hiện. (The fans craned their necks in anticipation, waiting for their idol to appear.)

1. Crane one's neck
   • Nghển cổ nhìn
     To crame one's neck to see something