ngứa
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To itch: To have an uncomfortable sensation on the skin that makes one want to scratch. This is the primary and most common meaning.
- (Informal, figurative) To have an urge; to feel restless: Used figuratively to describe a strong, often restless, desire or impulse to do something, typically paired with a body part (e.g., hands, feet, ears).
Usage Examples
Verb (literal - to itch):
- Vai tôi ngứa. (My shoulder is itching.)
- Con muỗi đốt làm tôi ngứa. (The mosquito bite makes me itch.)
- Cô ấy bị dị ứng và ngứa khắp người. (She has an allergy and itches all over.)
Verb (figurative - to have an urge):
- Thấy đám thanh niên đánh nhau, anh ta ngứa tay muốn tham gia. (Seeing the young men fighting, he felt an itch in his hands and wanted to join in.)
- Nghe họ nói xấu, tôi ngứa miệng muốn cãi lại. (Hearing them speak ill, I had an itch in my mouth and wanted to argue back.)
Advanced Usage
"Gãi đúng chỗ ngứa": To scratch the right itch. This idiom means to satisfy a need precisely or to address the exact point of someone's desire or concern.
- Lời khen của sếp gãi đúng chỗ ngứa của anh ấy. (The boss's praise scratched his exact itch / hit the spot.)
"Ngứa mắt": Literally "eyes itch". Figuratively, it means to feel annoyed or irritated by the sight of someone or something, often leading to a desire to intervene or criticize.
- Thấy họ làm hỏng việc, tôi ngứa mắt lắm. (Seeing them mess up the job really makes my eyes itch / really irritates me.)
Variants and Related Words
Ngưa ngứa (reduplicative form): To have a slight itch; a mild or beginning sensation of itching.
- Sau khi tắm biển, da tôi ngưa ngứa. (After swimming in the sea, my skin feels a little itchy.)
Ngứa ngáy: An intensified form meaning "to itch persistently or severely".
- Căn bệnh khiến anh ấy ngứa ngáy cả đêm. (The illness made him itch severely all night.)
Sự ngứa (Noun): The itch; the state or sensation of itching.
- Sự ngứa này thật không chịu nổi. (This itch is really unbearable.)
Synonyms
- Buồn: In some contexts, can be used similarly to the figurative sense of "ngứa" for a restless urge (e.g., = feeling a restless urge with the hands).
- Muốn: To want. While "muốn" is a general term for desire, "ngứa" implies a more physical, restless, or impulsive urge related to a specific body part.
Related Phrases (Figurative Use with Body Parts)
- Ngứa tay: To have an itch in one's hands; to have a strong urge to do something with one's hands (often to hit, fiddle with something, or get involved).
- Ngứa chân: To have an itch in one's feet; to feel restless and want to move or go somewhere.
- Ngứa miệng: To have an itch in one's mouth; to have a strong urge to say something (often to argue, gossip, or interrupt).
- Ngứa tai: To have an itch in one's ears; to be eager or curious to hear something.