ậm à ậm ừ

Thân thiện

Khi được hỏi về kế hoạch tương lai, anh ấy chỉ ậm à ậm ừ mãi mà không nói rõ được điều gì.

Definition

1. Interjection/Onomatopoeia:
   • Hesitant or non-committal sounds: A Vietnamese onomatopoeic phrase representing the sounds someone makes when they are hesitating, stalling for time, or giving a vague, non-committal response instead of a clear "yes" or "no". It conveys a sense of evasiveness or reluctance to give a direct answer.

Usage Examples

• Interjection/Onomatopoeia:
  • Khi được hỏi về kế hoạch, anh ta chỉ ậm à ậm ừ. (When asked about the plan, he just hemmed and hawed.)
  • Đừng có ậm à ậm ừ nữa, trả lời thẳng đi! (Stop being evasive, give a straight answer!)
  • Cô ấy ậm à ậm ừ một hồi rồi cuối cùng cũng đồng ý. (She hemmed and hawed for a while before finally agreeing.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is often used to describe a person's speech pattern or behavior in a slightly critical or impatient way, implying they are being indecisive or avoiding the topic.
  • Thái độ ậm à ậm ừ của anh ta khiến mọi người khó chịu. (His hesitant attitude annoyed everyone.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ậm ừ: This is the shortened, more common form of "ậm à ậm ừ". It carries the exact same meaning and is often used interchangeably.
  • Nó cứ ậm ừ mãi không chịu nói rõ. (He kept hemming and hawing, refusing to speak clearly.)

Synonyms

• Lấp lửng: To be ambiguous, to speak equivocally.
• Nói quanh: To beat around the bush.
• Do dự: To hesitate.

Related Idioms

• While "ậm à ậm ừ" itself is an idiomatic phrase, it is closely related to the concept of:
  • Nói ba phải: To be a yes-man, to agree with everyone (which can involve non-committal sounds).
  • Vòng vo tam quốc: To talk in circles, to be long-winded and avoid the main point.

Học thuật

1. xem ậm ừ