Definition

1. Adjective / Adverb:
   • Waggling, wiggling: Describes a quick, playful, and often repeated small movement, especially from side to side or up and down. It typically refers to the movement of a tail, fingers, or other slender, flexible parts.
   • Fidgeting: Can describe small, restless movements of the body or limbs.

Usage Examples

• Adjective / Adverb:
  • Chó con vẫy đuôi ngoe ngoảy. (The puppy wags its tail with a wiggle.)
  • Đứa trẻ ngồi ngoe ngoảy những ngón tay. (The child sat wiggling his fingers.)
  • Cô ấy đứng ngoe ngoảy vì sốt ruột. (She stood fidgeting impatiently.)

Advanced Usage

• The word is often reduplicated ("ngoe ngoảy") and is primarily used in its reduplicated form to emphasize the lively, repetitive nature of the movement. The singular form "ngoe" is rarely used alone.

Variants and Related Words

• Ngoe nguẩy: A common variant with the same meaning of waggling or wiggling.
  • Cái đuôi ngoe nguẩy. (A waggling tail.)

Synonyms

• Waggle: to move with short, quick movements from side to side.
• Wiggle: to make small movements from side to side or up and down.
• Fidget: to make small movements, especially of the hands and feet, through nervousness or impatience.

Related Idioms

• While "ngoe ngoảy" itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, it vividly describes actions within common contexts, such as the happy wagging of a dog's tail or the impatient fidgeting of a person.

1. Waggle, wag
   • Chó ngoe nguẩy đuôi
     The dog waggles its tail