ngòm

Thân thiện

Trời tối ngòm, không nhìn thấy gì cả.

Definition

1. Adjective (Intensifier):
   • Extremely, completely, utterly: Used as an intensifier, primarily to describe an extreme degree of darkness, blackness, or bitterness. It is almost always paired with a specific adjective (e.g., dark, black, bitter) and is not used alone.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Trời tối ngòm. (It is pitch dark.)
  • Căn phòng đen ngòm. (The room is completely black.)
  • Vị thuốc đắng ngòm. (The medicine is extremely bitter.)

Advanced Usage

• "ngòm" as a suffix: Its primary function is to follow and intensify core adjectives like (dark), (black), and (bitter). It conveys a sense of an absolute, often overwhelming, quality.

Variants and Related Words

• Tối om (adj): Also means pitch dark. is a more common variant than in modern speech.
  • Đường về nhà tối om. (The road home is pitch dark.)

Synonyms

• Cực kỳ: extremely.
• Hoàn toàn: completely.
• Thăm thẳm: profoundly (often for darkness).

Notes on Usage

• Collocational Restriction: "Ngòm" is a bound morpheme. It almost exclusively collocates with a limited set of adjectives describing darkness, color, or taste. It is not used to intensify verbs or most other adjectives.
• Register: The word has a colloquial and somewhat vivid, descriptive tone.

Học thuật

1. Pitch [dark], deep [black]
   • Đêm ba mươi trời tối ngòm
     On the night of the thirtieth of the lunar month, it is pitch dark
2. Very [bitter]
   • Quả đắng ngòm
     A very bitter fruit