Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Silly, foolish: Describes a person or action that lacks good sense, judgment, or intelligence; acting in a stupid or unwise manner.
   • Stupid, idiotic: Indicates a more severe lack of intelligence or understanding, often leading to regrettable consequences.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Hành động đó thật ngu dại. (That action is truly foolish.)
  • Đừng có ngu dại mà tin vào lời hứa đó. (Don't be so foolish as to believe that promise.)
  • Anh ta cảm thấy vô cùng ngu dại sau khi mắc sai lầm. (He felt extremely stupid after making the mistake.)

Advanced Usage

• "ngu dại đến mức...": foolish to the point that...
  • Cô ấy ngu dại đến mức đưa tiền cho một người lạ. (She was foolish to the point of giving money to a stranger.)
• Used to express strong disapproval or criticism of a thoughtless decision or action, often implying the person should have known better.

Variants and Related Words

• Ngu xuẩn (adj): Stupid, idiotic. Often stronger and more insulting than "ngu dại".
• Dại dột (adj): Rash, foolhardy. Emphasizes recklessness more than lack of intelligence.
• Khờ dại (adj): Simple-minded, naive. Suggests innocence or a lack of worldly experience.
• Đần độn (adj): Mentally slow, dull. Can refer to a perceived lack of basic intelligence.

Synonyms

• Ngu ngốc: Stupid, dumb.
• Dại dột: Foolhardy, imprudent.
• Khờ khạo: Simple, gullible.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "Tiền mất tật mang": (Literal: Lose money and keep the bad habit). This idiom describes the consequence of a "ngu dại" action, where one suffers a loss without gaining any benefit.
  • Đầu tư vào dự án lừa đảo, cuối cùng tiền mất tật mang, đúng là ngu dại. (Investing in a scam project, ending up losing money and gaining nothing, that was truly foolish.)
• "Khôn nhà dại chợ": (Literal: Smart at home, foolish at the market). Criticizes someone who acts wisely in familiar settings but makes foolish decisions in the wider world.
  • Anh ta toàn tính toán sai lầm khi kinh doanh, đúng kiểu khôn nhà dại chợ. (He always miscalculates in business, the classic case of being smart at home and foolish in the market.)

1. Silly, foolish