Definition

1. Adjective (Tính từ):
   • Carefree, nonchalant, and somewhat arrogant or unconventional in attitude and behavior: Describes a person who lives freely, follows their own will, and does not care much about worldly conventions or the opinions of others. This state often conveys a sense of ease, self-satisfaction, and a slight, proud detachment from normal societal rules.
   • Unsteady, swaying, tottering: Describes an unstable, rocking, or staggering physical state, often due to intoxication, illness, or being on an uneven surface. This meaning emphasizes the physical aspect of unsteadiness.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Ông ấy sống một cuộc đời ngất nga ngất ngưởng, không màng đến danh lợi. (He lives a carefree and unconventional life, indifferent to fame and fortune.)
  • Sau khi uống rượu, anh ta bước đi ngất nga ngất ngưởng. (After drinking alcohol, he walked unsteadily / with a stagger.)
  • Phong cách ngất nga ngất ngưởng của nhà thơ thể hiện rõ trong thơ của ông. (The poet's nonchalant and self-assured style is clearly reflected in his poetry.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase "ngất nga ngất ngưởng" is a reduplicative form (từ láy) of "ngất ngưởng". Reduplication in Vietnamese often intensifies the meaning or adds a descriptive, rhythmic quality. Here, "ngất nga" enhances the imagery of swaying or being aloof, making the overall phrase more vivid and literary.
• It is commonly used in a literary or descriptive context to portray a philosophical attitude towards life or a distinct physical state.

Variants and Related Words

• Ngất ngưởng (Adjective): The root word with the same core meanings: carefree/unconventional or unsteady. "Ngất nga ngất ngưởng" is its intensified, reduplicated form.
• Bất cần đời (Adjective phrase): Indifferent to life/worldly affairs; not caring about anything.
• Lảo đảo (Adjective/Verb): To stagger, to totter (primarily physical).

Synonyms

• Tự do phóng khoáng: Free and liberal.
• Khinh bạc: Disdainful, scornful (carries a more negative connotation).
• Chếnh choáng: Dizzy, lightheaded (often from alcohol).
• Lảo đảo: Staggering, reeling.

Related Idioms

• Sống ngất ngưởng: To live a carefree, unconventional life.
  • Cả đời ông cụ sống một cuộc sống ngất ngưởng. (The old man lived a carefree and self-directed life all his years.)

1. xem ngất ngưởng (láy)