Definition

1. Noun:

   • A small branch or offshoot (of a road): A narrow lane, alley, or small path that diverges from a main road or street.

2. Verb:

   • To lift (the head) up; to emerge; to pop up: To raise the head or a part above a surface, often after being submerged or hidden.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Anh rẽ vào một con ngóc nhỏ. (He turned into a small alley.)
  • Cái ngóc này quá hẹp cho xe hơi. (This lane is too narrow for a car.)

• Verb:

  • Con rùa ngóc đầu lên khỏi mai. (The turtle lifted its head out of its shell.)
  • Cá ngóc lên đớp mồi. (The fish surfaced to snap at the bait.)

Advanced Usage

• The verb is often used with body parts, especially the head (), to describe the action of raising or emerging.
• As a noun, it often implies a path that is minor, easily missed, or a dead-end.

Variants and Related Words

• Ngóc ngách (n): nooks and crannies; all the small, winding alleys and corners. Refers to complex, intricate parts of a place.
  • Tôi khám phá mọi ngóc ngách của thành phố cổ. (I explored every nook and cranny of the old city.)

Synonyms

• Noun: Alley, lane, byway, side street.
• Verb: To raise, to lift, to emerge, to surface, to pop up.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Ngóc đầu lên: To lift one's head up. Can be used literally or figuratively to mean to recover, to show up again, or to muster strength after a difficult period.
  • Công ty mới bắt đầu ngóc đầu lên sau khủng hoảng. (The company is just beginning to get back on its feet after the crisis.)

1. Small branch (of a road)
2. Lift up