ngốn ngấu

Thân thiện

Một cậu bé ngốn ngấu một bát mì nóng hổi.

Definition

1. Adverb:
   • Greedily and in large quantities: Describes the manner of consuming something, typically food, with great haste and avidity, as if very hungry or eager.
   • To devour / gobble up: Often used with verbs like "eat" (ăn) or "read" (đọc) to indicate doing so rapidly and with intense focus, consuming a large amount at once.

Usage Examples

• Adverb (with "ăn" - to eat):

  • Đứa trẻ ăn ngốn ngấu như thể chưa ăn gì cả tuần. (The child gobbled up his food as if he hadn't eaten anything all week.)
  • Sau buổi tập, họ ngồi ăn ngốn ngấu. (After the practice, they sat and devoured their meal.)

• Adverb (extended to other actions):

  • Cậu ấy ngốn ngấu đọc hết cuốn tiểu thuyết trong một đêm. (He greedily read the entire novel in one night.)

Advanced Usage

• This word strongly implies a lack of restraint or manners, often due to extreme hunger, enthusiasm, or greed. It paints a vivid picture of someone consuming something voraciously.

Variants and Related Words

• Ngốn (verb): To devour, to consume a large amount quickly. It is the root verb from which "ngốn ngấu" is derived as an adverbial intensifier.
  • Nó ngốn hết ba bát cơm. (He devoured three bowls of rice.)

Synonyms

• Greedily: With an excessive desire for more than one needs.
• Voraciously: Consuming food or ideas eagerly and in large amounts.
• Ravenously: Extremely hungry; devouring food eagerly.

Related Idioms

• While "ngốn ngấu" itself is not an idiom, it is commonly used in the fixed adverbial phrase "ăn ngốn ngấu", which directly translates to "to eat greedily/devouringly."

Học thuật

1. Bolt, gobble up; devour