Definition

1. Adjective:

   • With the face or front side turned upward; lying on one's back: Describes the position of an object or person where the front, face, or "head" side is facing up, opposite of "sấp" (face down or prone).
   • Turned upward: Describes the action or state of having something turned or tilted so its upper side is visible.

2. Verb:

   • To turn something upward; to tilt the face or front side up: The action of moving something so that its upper side faces upward.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Đồng tiền ngửa. (A coin lying with its head side up.)
  • Anh ấy nằm ngửa trên giường. (He is lying on his back on the bed.)

• Verb:

  • Cô ấy ngửa mặt lên nhìn bầu trời. (She turned her face upward to look at the sky.)
  • Đứa trẻ ngửa bàn tay ra để nhận kẹo. (The child turned his palm upward to receive candy.)

Advanced Usage

• "Ngã ngửa": To fall flat on one's back.

  • Ông ấy trượt chân và ngã ngửa ra sàn. (He slipped and fell flat on his back on the floor.)
  • This phrase can also be used figuratively to express great surprise or shock, similar to "to be taken aback."

    • Tôi ngã ngửa khi nghe tin đó. (I was floored/shocked when I heard that news.)

• "Cơ quay ngửa" (Anatomy): Supinator muscle. This is a specific anatomical term.

Variants and Related Words

• Ngửa mặt: To turn one's face upward.
• Nằm ngửa: To lie on one's back.
• Thai ngửa đầu (Medical): A fetus in a deflexed head position.

Synonyms

• Ngước: To look up, to raise (one's eyes or head). (Note: "Ngước" focuses more on the upward movement of the eyes/head to look, while "ngửa" focuses on the final upward-facing position.)
• Ngưỡng: To lift up, to raise (often used in literary contexts, e.g., "ngưỡng mặt" - to raise one's face).

Antonyms

• Sấp: Face down; prone; with the front side turned downward.
  • Nằm sấp (to lie face down), đồng tiền sấp (a coin lying with its tail side up).

Related Phrases

• "Mặt ngửa đồng tiền": Literally "the face of a coin lying upward," used to describe a round, full face.
• "Ngửa cổ" / "Ngửa đầu": To tilt one's head/neck back.
  • Ngửa cổ uống nước. (To tilt one's head back to drink water.)

1. with face upward, on one's back
   • Đồng tiền ngửa
     A coin lying with head upward
   • Ngã ngửa
     To fall flat on one's back
2. Turn upward
   • Ngửa mặt lên nhìn
     To turn one's face upwardand look, to look up