ngắn ngủn
Definition
- Adjective:
- Excessively short; stubby; cut very short: Describes something that is much shorter than normal, standard, or expected, often giving an impression of being abruptly truncated or awkwardly brief.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Cái áo này ngắn ngủn, không che được bụng. (This shirt is stubby; it doesn't cover the stomach.)
- Anh ta có một cái đuôi ngắn ngủn. (He has a very short, stubby tail.)
- Kỳ nghỉ hè năm nay ngắn ngủn quá. (This year's summer vacation is disappointingly brief.)
Advanced Usage
- The word often carries a negative or disapproving connotation, implying that the short length is insufficient, unattractive, or comical.
- It can be used figuratively to describe abstract concepts like time, making them seem insufficiently brief.
- Cuộc trò chuyện ngắn ngủn không giải quyết được gì. (The abruptly short conversation didn't resolve anything.)
Variants and Related Words
- Ngắn (adj): Short. This is the neutral base form.
- Váy ngắn (short skirt).
- Cụt ngủn (adj): Synonymous with , emphasizing a blunt, cut-off appearance.
- Một cây bút chì cụt ngủn (a blunt, very short pencil).
Synonyms
- Stubby: Short and thick.
- Truncated: Cut short.
- Abbreviated: Shortened, especially unexpectedly.
Related Idioms
- While itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, its meaning contributes to expressions of insufficiency.
- Đời người ngắn ngủn (Human life is brief/fleeting).