Definition

1. Verb:
   • To turn (one's head or body): To rotate the head or body to face a different direction, often quickly or in response to something.
   • To look back/around: To turn one's head to look behind or to the side.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Tôi gọi, nhưng anh ấy không ngảnh lại. (I called, but he didn't turn around.)
  • Cô ấy ngảnh mặt đi khi thấy tôi. (She turned her face away when she saw me.)
  • Chỉ cần ngảnh đầu lại, bạn sẽ thấy nó. (Just turn your head back, and you will see it.)

Advanced Usage

• "ngảnh đi": to turn away (often implying ignoring or avoiding).
  • Anh ta ngảnh đi, giả vờ không nghe thấy. (He turned away, pretending not to hear.)
• "ngảnh lại": to turn back/look back.
  • Cô ấy ngảnh lại nhìn tôi lần cuối trước khi đi. (She turned back to look at me one last time before leaving.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngoảnh: This is the more common standard variant of "ngảnh". They are interchangeable, with "ngoảnh" being preferred in formal writing.
  • Nó ngoảnh mặt làm ngơ. (He turned his face away, feigning ignorance.)
• Ngoảnh đầu: (phrase) to turn one's head.
• Ngoảnh lại: (phrase) to turn back.

Synonyms

• Quay: to turn, to rotate (more general).
• Xoay: to turn, to spin (often for objects).
• Ngoái: to look back over one's shoulder (implies a quicker, more glancing turn).

Related Phrases

• Ngảnh mặt làm ngơ: (idiomatic) to turn one's face away and pretend not to see/notice; to ignore deliberately.
  • Dù tôi có gọi thế nào, nó vẫn ngảnh mặt làm ngơ. (No matter how I called, it still turned its face away and ignored me.)
• Không ngảnh ngó: (idiomatic) to not bother to turn and look; to pay no attention.
  • Nó bước đi thẳng, không ngảnh ngó gì đến ai. (He walked straight ahead, not bothering to look back at anyone.)

1. xem ngoảnh