Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Unskilled, inexperienced, lacking dexterity or proficiency: "non tay" describes a person who is not yet skilled, lacks sufficient ability, or is not yet dexterous in a particular craft, art, or task, especially manual ones like drawing, painting, or craftsmanship.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Họa sĩ này vẫn còn non tay. (This painter is still unskilled.)
  • Anh ấy làm thợ mộc còn non tay nên sản phẩm chưa được tinh xảo. (He is still an inexperienced carpenter, so the product is not yet refined.)
  • Đừng lo, mọi người đều non tay khi mới bắt đầu. (Don't worry, everyone is unskilled when they first start.)

Advanced Usage

• "còn non tay": still unskilled/inexperienced. This is the most common collocation, emphasizing the current state of lacking skill.
  • Dù đã tập luyện nhiều, cô ấy thừa nhận mình vẫn còn non tay trong nghề. (Even after much practice, she admits she is still inexperienced in the profession.)

Variants and Related Words

• Non nớt (adj): immature, green, inexperienced (often used for knowledge or judgment rather than manual skill).
  • Suy nghĩ còn non nớt. (Immature thinking.)
• Vụng về (adj): clumsy, awkward (focuses more on physical clumsiness than lack of specific skill).
  • Anh ta khá vụng về trong việc sửa chữa. (He is quite clumsy at repairs.)

Synonyms

• Thiếu kinh nghiệm: lacking experience.
• Chưa thành thạo: not yet proficient.
• Chưa khéo léo: not yet dexterous/skillful.

Related Idioms

• "Non tay non chân": A reinforced idiom emphasizing overall inexperience or clumsiness in practical tasks.
  • Mới vào nghề, non tay non chân là chuyện bình thường. (It's normal to be inexperienced when you're new to the job.)

1. Unskilled in drawing