Definition

1. Onomatopoeia:

   • Quack; crackle: The sound made by a duck or a goose.
   • Cackle: The sharp, broken cry of a hen, especially when startled or seized.

2. Reduplicated Form (láy):

   • Quác quác (reduplicated, implying continuity): A repeated quacking or cackling sound, like the continuous cries of poultry.
   • Quang quác (intensified reduplication): A loud, harsh, and repeated cackling or squawking.

Usage Examples

• Onomatopoeia:

  • Đàn vịt kêu "quác quác" trên ao. (The ducks went "quack quack" on the pond.)
  • Con gà mái kêu quác lên khi bị bắt. (The hen cackled when it was caught.)

• Reduplicated Form:

  • Tiếng gà quang quác suốt buổi sáng. (The sound of chickens cackling loudly all morning.)

Advanced Usage

• The word is primarily used as an onomatopoeia to directly mimic animal sounds. Its reduplicated forms are very common and often carry more vivid imagery than the single syllable.

Variants and Related Words

• Quác quác: The standard reduplication, indicating a series of quacks or cackles.
• Quang quác: An intensified variant, suggesting a louder, more annoying, or more persistent series of sounds.

Synonyms

• Quack: The characteristic sound of a duck.
• Cackle: The raucous clucking sound of a hen.
• Squawk: A loud, harsh cry, especially of a bird.

Notes

• "Quác" is almost exclusively used to describe the cries of poultry such as ducks, geese, and chickens. It is not typically used for other animal sounds.
• The intensity and repetition are modified through reduplication (láy), which is a key feature of Vietnamese onomatopoeia.

1. Quack; crackle
   • Quác quác (láy, ý liên tiếp)
     Quack, quack; cackle, cackle
   • Quang quác (láy, ý mạnh)
     Cackle