Definition

1. Adverb:
   • Repeatedly, incessantly, over and over again: "những là" is a literary adverb used to describe an action that happens many times in succession, often with a sense of persistence or continuous longing.

Usage Examples

• Adverb:
  • "Những là rày ước mai ao." (One wished and hoped repeatedly, day after day.)
  • "Những là ngày ước mai sau." (To hope incessantly, day after day for the future.)

Advanced Usage

• Literary and poetic context: This word is almost exclusively found in classical Vietnamese poetry and literature (e.g., works by Nguyễn Du). It conveys a deep, persistent, and often melancholic repetition of thought or desire.
  • It is used to emphasize the unending or cyclical nature of an emotion, typically hope, longing, or waiting.

Variants and Related Words

• Những (pronoun/adjective): This is the base word meaning "those" or "the" (plural marker for nouns). In "những là," it combines with "là" to form a fixed adverbial phrase with a distinct meaning.
• Mãi, hoài (adverbs): These are more common modern synonyms meaning "continuously, forever," but they lack the specific literary and repetitive nuance of "những là."

Synonyms

• Liên tục: Continuously.
• Lặp đi lặp lại: To repeat over and over.
• Không ngừng: Unceasingly.

Notes on Meaning

• Fixed Literary Phrase: "Những là" is a set phrase. Its meaning cannot be deduced from the individual words "những" (those) and "là" (to be). It functions as a single unit meaning "repeatedly."
• Temporal Focus: It often describes actions or states spanning over days ("rày" - these days, "mai" - tomorrow/future), highlighting prolonged duration and repetition.

1. Repeatedly.
   • "Những là rày ước mai sao "
2. (Nguyễn Du) One wished and hoped repeatedly