ngồi thừ
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To sit idly and dejectedly: To sit with a vacant, dazed, or listless expression, often due to exhaustion, sorrow, or disappointment. It describes a state of being physically present but mentally absent or disengaged, conveying a sense of helplessness or melancholy inaction.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Ông ấy ngồi thừ ra sau khi nghe tin buồn. (He sat dejectedly after hearing the sad news.)
- Cả nhóm ngồi thừ vì mệt sau chuyến đi dài. (The whole group sat around listlessly from tiredness after the long trip.)
- Đừng có ngồi thừ đó nữa, hãy đứng dậy và làm gì đi! (Don't just sit there idly and mope, get up and do something!)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often implies a passive state resulting from an external event (bad news, fatigue, failure) that leaves a person stunned or without energy to act. It emphasizes the posture ("ngồi" - to sit) combined with a specific mental state ("thừ").
Variants and Related Words
- Ngồi ì (verb phrase): To sit inertly; to be stuck sitting without moving or taking action.
- Ngồi phịch xuống (verb phrase): To plop or slump down into a seat, often heavily and with a sense of defeat or exhaustion.
Synonyms
- To sit listlessly: To sit without energy or enthusiasm.
- To mope: To be dejected and apathetic.
- To languish: To lose or lack vitality; to grow weak or feeble.
Related Idioms
- While "ngồi thừ" itself is a descriptive phrase, it relates to the concept of "ngồi không" (to sit idle, to be unemployed or unoccupied), though "ngồi thừ" carries a stronger connotation of dejection rather than mere idleness.