Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Well-behaved, obedient: Describes a person, especially a child, who behaves properly, listens to instructions, and is not troublesome.
   • Good, virtuous: Can describe an adult, often a woman, who is considered morally good, gentle, and skilled in traditional domestic or social roles.
   • Skillful, adept: Used in limited contexts to describe someone who is dexterous or clever with their hands in work or craft.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Em bé đó rất ngoan. (That baby is very well-behaved.)
  • Bố mẹ luôn mong con cái chăm ngoan, học giỏi. (Parents always wish for their children to be diligent, well-behaved, and good at studying.)
  • Câu tục ngữ "Tay không mà nổi cơ đồ mới ngoan" ca ngợi sự khéo léo và tài giỏi. (The proverb "It is truly skillful/adept to build a career from nothing" praises cleverness and talent.)

Advanced Usage

• "ngoan ngoãn": A reduplicative form that emphasizes good behavior and obedience, often used for children.
  • Sau khi được nhắc nhở, cậu bé trở nên ngoan ngoãn. (After being reminded, the boy became well-behaved.)
• "con ngoan trò giỏi": A common phrase meaning "a good child and an excellent student," representing an ideal for young people.
  • Cô ấy luôn là con ngoan trò giỏi được thầy cô yêu mến. (She has always been a good child and excellent student, beloved by her teachers.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngoan ngoãn (adj): Well-behaved, docile (emphatic form).
• Ngoan đạo (adj): Pious, devout (specifically in a religious context). This is a compound word with a distinct meaning.
• Hư (adj): Naughty, spoiled (antonym).

Synonyms

• Vâng lời: Obedient.
• Nết na: Well-mannered, gentle (typically used for women).
• Khéo léo: Skillful, dexterous (for the meaning related to adeptness).

Idioms and Fixed Expressions

• "Gái ngoan": A "good girl"; a woman who is virtuous, skilled in household duties, and conforms to traditional expectations.
  • Theo quan niệm xưa, gái ngoan phải biết may vá, thêu thùa. (According to old notions, a good girl must know how to sew and embroider.)
• "Tay không mà nổi cơ đồ mới ngoan": A proverb meaning true skill/talent is demonstrated by building success from nothing. Here, "ngoan" implies being clever, resourceful, and adept.

adj

1. good; well-behaved
   • rất ngoan
     as good as gold