vo ve
Definition
Verb:
- To buzz: To make a continuous, low, humming sound, like that of an insect (e.g., a mosquito, bee, or fly) in flight.
- To whisper persistently / to murmur: To talk in a low, continuous, and often annoying or insistent manner.
Noun:
- A buzz / a humming sound: The continuous low sound produced by an insect or a similar mechanical sound.
Usage Examples
Verb:
- Con muỗi vo ve bên tai. (A mosquito is buzzing near my ear.)
- Máy cũ vo ve suốt ngày. (The old machine buzzes all day.)
- Đừng vo ve bên cạnh tôi nữa. (Stop whispering/murmuring persistently next to me.)
Noun:
- Tôi nghe thấy tiếng vo ve của ong. (I hear the buzz of bees.)
- Tiếng vo ve đó thật khó chịu. (That humming sound is very annoying.)
Advanced Usage
- "vo ve bên tai": An idiom meaning to buzz in one's ear, often used figuratively to describe persistent, nagging, or whispered advice or complaints.
- Lời chỉ trích ấy cứ vo ve bên tai tôi. (That criticism keeps buzzing in my ear.)
Variants and Related Words
- Ve vẩn (v): To loiter, to hang around idly. (Note: This is a different word but can be confused due to similar sound.)
- O o (v): To drone, to make a similar monotonous sound.
Synonyms
- Buzz: To make a humming sound like an insect.
- Hum: To make a low, steady continuous sound.
- Drone: To make a continuous low monotonous sound.
- Whisper: To speak very softly, but when used with "vo ve," it implies a nagging quality.
Related Idioms
- Làm con ruồi vo ve: Literally "to act like a buzzing fly," meaning to be an annoying, meddlesome person, similar to "faire la mouche du coche" (to be a busybody).
- Anh ta chẳng giúp được gì, chỉ như con ruồi vo ve. (He didn't help at all, just like a buzzing fly / a busybody.)