Definition

1. Adverb:

   • In a tediously lengthy or long-winded manner: Describes speaking or an action that continues for an excessively long time, often in a repetitive, monotonous, or verbose way that becomes tiresome to the listener.

2. Adjective (attributive):

   • Lengthy, long-winded, prolix: Used to characterize speech or discourse that is excessively and tiresomely long.

Usage Examples

• Adverb:

  • Ông ấy nói nhai nhải hàng giờ về chuyện cũ. (He spoke at tedious length for hours about old stories.)
  • Cô giáo nhai nhải giải thích một bài toán đơn giản. (The teacher explained a simple math problem in a long-winded, drawn-out manner.)

• Adjective:

  • Bài phát biểu nhai nhải của anh ấy khiến mọi người buồn ngủ. (His long-winded speech made everyone sleepy.)
  • Đừng có những lời than vãn nhai nhải. (Don't give me those lengthy, whining complaints.)

Advanced Usage

• Often carries a negative connotation of annoyance or boredom. It implies the speaker is being unnecessarily verbose, repetitive, or failing to get to the point.
• Can be used metaphorically beyond speech to describe any action that is perceived as being drawn out tediously (e.g., a long, monotonous task).

Variants and Related Words

• Nói nhai nhải (verb phrase): to speak at great, tedious length; to drone on.
  • Bà ấy cứ nói nhai nhải mãi về cùng một vấn đề. (She just kept droning on and on about the same issue.)

Synonyms

• At length: for a long time.
• Long-windedly: in a verbose manner.
• Prolixly: using too many words.
• Tediously: in a boring, lengthy way.
• Monotonously: in a dull, repetitive way.

Related Idioms

• Nói dai như đỉa đói: (Vietnamese idiom: to speak persistently like a hungry leech) – Similar in conveying annoyance at lengthy, clinging speech, though more focused on persistence than pure verbosity.

1. Too lengthy
   • Nói nhai nhải hàng giờ
     To speak too lengthy for hours