nghề ngà
Definition
- Verb:
- To nag; to scold persistently and peevishly: The primary meaning of "nghề ngà" is to complain, scold, or find fault with someone in a constant, irritating, or fretful manner. It implies a repetitive, often petty, criticism.
- To grumble; to whine: It can also describe the action of complaining in a whining or fretful voice.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Bà ấy suốt ngày nghề ngà chồng mình về chuyện nhỏ. (She nags her husband all day about small things.)
- Đừng có nghề ngà nữa, hãy tập trung vào giải pháp đi. (Stop whining and focus on the solution.)
- Ông cụ hay nghề ngà về thời tiết. (The old man often grumbles about the weather.)
Advanced Usage
- "nghề ngà, càu nhàu": to nag and grumble. This phrase emphasizes a combination of nagging and muttering in discontent.
- Cô ấy vừa làm vừa nghề ngà càu nhàu. (She worked while nagging and grumbling.)
Variants and Related Words
- Càu nhàu (v): to grumble, to mutter in discontent. This is a close synonym often used alongside "nghề ngà".
- Lẩm bẩm (v): to mumble, often to oneself. It can sometimes overlap with the muttering aspect of "nghề ngà".
Synonyms
- Nag: to annoy by constant fault-finding or complaints.
- Carp: to complain or find fault continually.
- Grumble: to complain in a bad-tempered way.
- Whine: to complain in a feeble or petulant way.
Related Idioms
- Nghề ngà như mẹ chồng: (To nag like a mother-in-law). This idiom humorously compares constant nagging to a stereotypical mother-in-law.
- Cô ấy nghề ngà như mẹ chồng ấy. (She nags like a mother-in-law.)