ngắn ngủi
Definition
- Adjective:
- Very short in duration; brief; fleeting: Describes a period of time, an event, or a state that lasts for a very limited and often insufficient amount of time, typically carrying a connotation of regret or wistfulness about its brevity.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Kỳ nghỉ hè thật ngắn ngủi. (The summer vacation was so brief.)
- Cuộc đời con người thường ngắn ngủi. (Human life is often fleeting.)
- Họ có một cuộc tình ngắn ngủi nhưng đẹp đẽ. (They had a short-lived but beautiful love affair.)
Advanced Usage
- The word is often used in literary or reflective contexts to emphasize the transient nature of life, happiness, or opportunities, evoking a sense of poignancy or melancholy.
- Ước mơ ngắn ngủi của tuổi trẻ. (The fleeting dreams of youth.)
Variants and Related Words
- Ngắn (adj): short (in length or duration). This is the root word, while "ngắn ngủi" intensifies the feeling of brevity.
- Một bài phát biểu ngắn. (A short speech.)
Synonyms
- Brief: lasting for a short time.
- Fleeting: passing swiftly; transient.
- Short-lived: lasting only a short time.
- Ephemeral: lasting for a very short time.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Ngắn ngủi vô cùng: extremely short-lived; all too brief.
- Hạnh phúc ấy ngắn ngủi vô cùng. (That happiness was all too brief.)