Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Timid; easily frightened: Describes a person or animal who is easily scared, lacks courage, or is shy in a fearful way.
   • Faint; weak: Describes something, like a sound or light, that is weak or feeble.

2. Noun:

   • A cut; a slash; a stroke: Refers to a single, swift action of cutting, chopping, stabbing, or striking with a tool or weapon.
   • A thin slice: A thin piece cut from something, like food.
   • A very brief moment: A very short, fleeting instant of time (similar to "lát").

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Đứa trẻ đó rất nhát, không dám nói chuyện với người lạ. (That child is very timid and dares not talk to strangers.)
  • Ánh sáng nhát qua khe cửa. (A faint light came through the door crack.)

• Noun:

  • Tên cướp đe doạ nạn nhân bằng một nhát dao. (The robber threatened the victim with a slash of a knife.)
  • Cô ấy thái hành thành từng nhát mỏng. (She sliced the onion into thin pieces.)
  • Hãy chờ tôi một nhát. (Wait for me just a moment.)

Advanced Usage

• Verb (colloquial/dialectal): To frighten; to intimidate, especially used in the context of scaring children.
  • Đừng nhát em bé như thế. (Don't frighten the baby like that.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nhát gan (adj): Literally "timid liver," meaning cowardly, easily scared.

  • Anh ta nhát gan, không dám đi một mình. (He is cowardly and doesn't dare go alone.)

• Nhát người (adj): To be startled, to have a fright.

  • Tiếng nổ làm tôi nhát người. (The explosion made me jump.)

Synonyms

• Adjective: Timid, cowardly, fearful, shy (in a fearful context), faint.
• Noun: Cut, slash, stroke, slice, moment, instant.

Related Idioms

• Nhát như cáy: As timid as a crab (in its hole); meaning extremely cowardly.

  • Nó sợ bóng tối, nhát như cáy. (He's afraid of the dark, as timid as a crab.)

• Một nhát đến tai, hai nhát đến gáy: (Proverb) Literally "One stroke to the ear, two strokes to the nape." Means to be decisive and thorough in action, often to solve a problem completely.

adj

1. shy; timid; faint
   • cô ta nhát lắm
     She is very shy

noun

1. cut; stab; slash
   • nhát dao
     stab with knife