Definition

1. Intransitive Verb:
   • To retch, to gag: To make the sound and movement of vomiting, especially when trying to vomit but nothing or very little comes out. It often involves a spasmodic contraction of the stomach and diaphragm.
   • To have dry heaves: To experience the involuntary effort to vomit without producing significant stomach contents.

Usage Examples

• Intransitive Verb:
  • Bà ấy ốm nghén nặng, sáng nào cũng thấy ọi. (She has severe morning sickness; every morning she retches.)
  • Ngửi thấy mùi đó, anh ta buồn nôn và ọi liên tục. (Smelling that odor, he felt nauseous and gagged repeatedly.)
  • Đứa bé bị say tàu xe, chỉ ọi ra nước dãi. (The child got motion sickness and only retched up saliva.)

Advanced Usage

• "ọi ọe": This is a common reduplicative form that emphasizes the repeated or ongoing action of retching.
  • Cô ấy ọi ọe suốt cả buổi sáng vì cơn ốm nghén. (She was retching and gagging all morning because of morning sickness.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nôn (v): To vomit, to throw up. This is the general term for ejecting stomach contents through the mouth. "Ọi" specifically refers to the unproductive effort.
• Buồn nôn (adj/phrase): To feel nauseous, to feel like vomiting.
• Ọe (v): Another term for retching or gagging, often used interchangeably or combined with "ọi" as "ọi ọe".

Synonyms

• Gag: To make a convulsive effort to vomit.
• Heave: To make an effort to vomit; to retch.

Notes on Usage

• Ọi is primarily used in spoken Vietnamese and is considered a colloquial term (often marked as "đph" - địa phương/regional or colloquial in dictionaries). It is less formal than "nôn khan".
• It vividly describes the physical act and sound of trying to vomit.
• This verb typically does not take a direct object indicating what is vomited, as the action is often unproductive. If something is expelled, the verb "nôn" or a phrase like "ọi ra..." is more common.

1. Retch