ngoan ngoãn

Vietnamese

Etymology

From ngoan. Alternatively, ngoan and ngoãn are doublets descending from Old Chinese 愿 (OC *ŋʷans) (ZS) (SV: nguyện).

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [ŋwaːn˧˧ ŋwaːn˦ˀ˥]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ŋwaːŋ˧˧ ŋwaːŋ˧˨]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [ŋwaːŋ˧˧ ŋwaːŋ˨˩˦]

Adjective

ngoan ngoãn

1. obedient; docile; well-behaved
   • Hoàng Vân, Con chim vành khuyên (The White-Eye)

     Có con chim vành khuyên nhỏ; dáng trông thật ngoan ngoãn quá

     There's the little white-eye; it seems so well-behaved

   Synonym: dễ bảo

Adverb

ngoan ngoãn

1. obediently

   Ngoan ngoãn làm theo ý cướp có thực sự khôn ngoan?

   Is it smart to obediently acquiesce to robbers' demands?