ngài
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- Bombycid moth: A type of moth, specifically one from the family Bombycidae, which includes the silkworm moth.
- Your/His/Her Excellency; Sir; Madam: A formal and respectful title or pronoun used to address or refer to a person of high status, authority, or honor, such as an ambassador, minister, dignitary, or deity.
Usage Examples
Noun (Moth):
- Con ngài bay quanh ngọn đèn. (The bombycid moth is flying around the lamp.)
- Tằm sẽ hóa thành ngài. (The silkworm will transform into a moth.)
Noun/Title (Respectful Address):
- Kính thưa Ngài Chủ tịch. (Dear Mr. Chairman / Your Excellency, the Chairman.)
- Ngài Đại sứ sẽ có bài phát biểu. (The Ambassador will give a speech.)
- Xin cảm ơn ngài. (Thank you, sir.)
Advanced Usage
"Ngài" as a Third-Person Pronoun: Used respectfully for deities, spirits, or highly revered figures.
- Người ta tin rằng ngài rất linh thiêng. (People believe He/She [the deity] is very sacred.)
"Thưa ngài": A formal opening phrase equivalent to "Sir" or "Madam" when addressing someone directly.
- Thưa ngài, ngài có muốn dùng trà không? (Sir/Madam, would you like some tea?)
Variants and Related Words
- Mày ngài (n): Literally "moth's antennae"; a poetic idiom describing beautiful, shapely eyebrows.
- Cô ấy có đôi mày ngài rất đẹp. (She has beautiful, shapely eyebrows.)
Synonyms
- Bướm (n): Butterfly; moth (a more general term for lepidoptera).
- Quý ngài (n): A variant emphasizing respect, similar to "distinguished gentleman."
- Người (n): Person; a neutral pronoun. Ngài is the formal, respectful equivalent for the second or third person.
Related Phrases
- Kính gửi ngài...: A formal salutation in letters, meaning "To His/Her Excellency..." or "Dear Sir...".
- Kính gửi Ngài Tổng Giám đốc. (To the General Director.)
Related Idioms
- Mắt phượng mày ngài: A classical Vietnamese idiom describing a beauty with phoenix-like eyes and moth-antennae-like eyebrows.
- Trong thơ ca, người con gái đẹp thường được miêu tả với "mắt phượng mày ngài". (In poetry, a beautiful woman is often described with "phoenix eyes and moth-antennae eyebrows.")
noun
- thow; your excellency