Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To shrug one's shoulders: To raise and then lower one's shoulders slightly and briefly, typically to express indifference, doubt, ignorance, or helplessness.

Usage

• This phrase describes a specific physical gesture. It is used to indicate a non-verbal response.
• It is often used to show that one does not know something, does not care, cannot help, or is skeptical.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Khi được hỏi về kết quả, anh ấy chỉ nhún vai. (When asked about the result, he just shrugged his shoulders.)
  • Cô ấy nhún vai tỏ vẻ không biết. (She shrugged her shoulders to show she didn't know.)
  • Tôi hỏi tại sao, nhưng nó chỉ nhún vai. (I asked why, but he just shrugged.)

Advanced Usage

• "nhún vai một cái": to give a shrug.
  • Anh ta nhún vai một cái rồi bỏ đi. (He gave a shrug and then walked away.)
• The gesture can be described with adverbs to modify its meaning, such as (shrug coldly), (shrug helplessly).

Variants and Related Words

• Vai (n): shoulder.
• Nhún (v): to dip, to lower slightly (often in a springy motion). In this phrase, it combines with "vai" to create the specific meaning of the shrug gesture.
• Nhún nhảy (v): to bounce, to hop (a different compound using "nhún").

Synonyms

• Tỏ ý thờ ơ bằng cử chỉ: to express indifference with a gesture. (This is a descriptive phrase, not a single-word synonym.)

Related Idioms/Phrases

• There are no direct idiomatic equivalents, but the action itself is a common non-verbal idiom across cultures.
• The phrase can be part of a larger descriptive sentence, e.g., (to shrug something off).

1. Shrug one's shoulders