ngoạn cảnh
Definition
- Verb (Transitive):
- To enjoy the scenery / to view the scenery: The act of deliberately observing and appreciating a landscape, view, or scenic spot for pleasure and aesthetic enjoyment.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Du khách dừng chân trên đỉnh núi để ngoạn cảnh. (Tourists stopped on the mountain peak to enjoy the scenery.)
- Chúng tôi thuê một chiếc thuyền nhỏ để ngoạn cảnh dọc sông. (We hired a small boat to view the scenery along the river.)
- Ông cụ thích ngồi ngoài hiên ngoạn cảnh đồng quê. (The old man likes to sit on the porch and enjoy the view of the countryside.)
Advanced Usage
- The word "ngoạn cảnh" carries a formal and literary tone, often associated with leisurely travel, poetry, and refined appreciation. It implies a deeper, more contemplative observation than simply "looking."
Variants and Related Words
- Thưởng ngoạn (v): A near-synonymous and equally formal compound meaning to enjoy and appreciate (scenery, art).
- Đoàn khách du lịch thưởng ngoạn vẻ đẹp của vịnh Hạ Long. (The tourist group appreciated the beauty of Ha Long Bay.)
- Ngắm cảnh (v): A more common and colloquial phrase with the same core meaning: to look at/view the scenery.
- Họ dừng xe bên đường để ngắm cảnh. (They pulled the car over to look at the view.)
Synonyms
- To sightsee: to visit places of interest.
- To admire the view: to regard with pleasure and respect.
- To take in the scenery: to observe and appreciate the landscape.
Related Idioms
- While there is no direct idiom using "ngoạn cảnh", the concept is central to the idiom:
- "Giang sơn cẩm tú": Literally "brocade-embroidered rivers and mountains," meaning a beautifully scenic country. The act of "ngoạn cảnh" is the appreciation of such beauty.
- Du lịch Việt Nam là cơ hội để ngoạn cảnh giang sơn cẩm tú. (Traveling in Vietnam is a chance to enjoy the country's beautiful scenery.)