Definition

Verb: - To turn one's head, to turn round: The action of rotating one's head or body to look behind or in a different direction.

Usage

The verb "ngoảnh" is used to describe the specific motion of turning one's head or body, typically to look back or to change the direction of one's gaze. It often implies a quick or deliberate turn. - It is commonly used with adverbs like lại (back) to form "ngoảnh lại", meaning "to turn back/look back". - It can be used with other directional complements to specify where one turns towards.

Usage Examples

• (Hearing the call, she turned her head.)
• (He turned his face away, not wanting to look.)
• (Don't look back, just keep going.)

Advanced Usage

• "ngoảnh đi ngoảnh lại": To turn this way and that; to look around repeatedly, often indicating hesitation, searching, or nervousness.
  • Cậu bé ngoảnh đi ngoảnh lại tìm mẹ. (The little boy looked around for his mother.)
• "không ngoảnh mặt làm ngơ": An idiom meaning "not to turn a blind eye"; to not ignore a situation.
  • Trước nỗi đau đó, chúng ta không thể ngoảnh mặt làm ngơ. (Faced with that pain, we cannot turn a blind eye.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngoảnh lại (phrasal verb): To turn back/look back. This is the most common compound form.
• Quay (verb): To turn, to rotate. This is a more general synonym and can refer to turning objects or oneself.
• Ngoái (verb): To crane one's neck (to look back). This implies a more strained or eager effort to see behind.

Synonyms

• Quay đầu lại: To turn one's head back.
• Ngoái cổ lại: To crane one's neck back.

Related Idioms

• "Ngoảnh mặt làm ngơ": To turn one's face away and pretend not to see; to deliberately ignore.
  • Anh ấy đã ngoảnh mặt làm ngơ trước sự thật. (He turned a blind eye to the truth.)

1. Turn one's head, turn round
   • Nghe tiếng chân đi đằng sau lưng ngoảnh lại xem ai
     To turn round to see who is following one hearing the sounds of steps behind one