ngân nga
Definition
- Verb:
- To trill / to chant with a vibrating voice: The primary meaning of "ngân nga" is to prolong the resonant vibrations of the voice, especially when singing, reciting poetry, or humming a tune. It implies a melodious, drawn-out, and often reflective quality of sound.
- To hum / to croon: It also means to sing or hum a tune softly, often in an absent-minded or contented manner, typically without articulating the full lyrics.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Cô ấy ngân nga một giai điệu vui vẻ. (She is humming a cheerful tune.)
- Nhà thơ ngân nga bài thơ của mình. (The poet chants his poem with a trilling voice.)
- Anh ấy vừa đi vừa ngân nga. (He walked along, humming to himself.)
Advanced Usage
- "ngân nga giọng": to use a trilling or resonant voice.
- Nghệ sĩ ngân nga giọng ở đoạn cao trào. (The artist trilled her voice at the climax.)
Variants and Related Words
- Ngân (v): to resonate, to reverberate (often describing a prolonged sound like a bell or a voice).
- Tiếng chuông ngân vang. (The bell's sound resonates.)
Synonyms
- Hum: to sing with closed lips.
- Trill: to sing or speak with a quavering or vibrating sound.
- Croon: to sing or hum in a soft, low voice.
- Chant: to recite in a singing tone.
Related Idioms
- Ngân nga như hát: to speak in a sing-song, melodic manner.
- Bà cụ kể chuyện ngân nga như hát. (The old woman told the story in a sing-song voice.)
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Trill (when declaming poems...)
