Definition

1. Verb phrase: - To be in danger; to encounter misfortune or an accident: This phrase describes the state of being involved in a sudden, unfortunate, and often dangerous event, such as an accident or disaster.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Xe của anh ấy bị hỏng giữa đường, may mà không ai ngộ nạn. (His car broke down on the road; fortunately, no one was in danger/was hurt.)
  • Chúng tôi cầu nguyện cho những người ngộ nạn trong vụ hỏa hoạn. (We pray for those who encountered misfortune in the fire.)

Advanced Usage Notes

• "Ngộ nạn" is a formal and somewhat literary term. In everyday spoken Vietnamese, phrases like "gặp nạn" (to meet with disaster) or "bị tai nạn" (to have an accident) are more common.
• It often implies being an innocent victim of an unforeseen circumstance.

Variants and Related Words

• Gặp nạn (verb phrase): To meet with disaster/accident. (More common in speech)
• Tai nạn (noun): Accident, disaster.
• Nạn nhân (noun): Victim.

Synonyms

• Gặp nguy hiểm: To be in danger.
• Gặp tai ương: To encounter calamity. (More literary)

Related Idioms/Phrases

• "Thoát nạn" or "thoát hiểm": To escape danger, to have a narrow escape.
  • Sau khi ngộ nạn, anh ấy đã may mắn thoát nạn. (After being in danger, he was lucky to escape.)

1. Be in danger