ngã nhào
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To fall headlong / to fall forward suddenly: Describes the action of falling down abruptly, often with one's body tipping forward and losing balance completely. It implies a lack of control and a swift, often heavy, descent to the ground.
- To tumble down / to collapse: Can describe a person or object falling over in a sudden, uncontrolled manner.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Cậu bé vấp phải hòn đá và ngã nhào xuống đất. (The boy tripped over a stone and fell headlong to the ground.)
- Chiếc xe đạp đổ, khiến người điều khiển ngã nhào. (The bicycle toppled over, causing the rider to tumble down.)
- Do trơn trượt, nhiều người đi bộ đã bị ngã nhào. (Because it was slippery, many pedestrians fell over.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often carries a connotation of an unexpected, clumsy, or forceful fall. It is more descriptive than the simple word "ngã" (to fall), emphasizing the suddenness and the forward or uncontrolled motion.
Variants and Related Words
- Ngã (v): to fall, to tumble. The general term for falling.
- Ngã ngửa (v): to fall backward. The opposite motion of "ngã nhào."
- Té nhào (v): a synonym, commonly used in Southern Vietnamese, meaning to fall over suddenly.
Synonyms
- Topple: to fall forward, often from being unsteady.
- Pitch forward: to fall or plunge suddenly in a forward direction.
- Sprawl: to fall in a clumsy or stretched-out way.
Related Idioms
- While "ngã nhào" itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, it is used in descriptive phrases to vividly depict accidents or mishaps.
- Ngã nhào như cây chuối hột: (To fall over like a wild banana tree) – A humorous, colloquial comparison for a very clumsy and obvious fall.