nhại

Friendly

The Vietnamese word "nhại" is a verb that means "to imitate" or "to mimic." It is often used when someone copies the voice or actions of another person, and can also refer to imitating sounds in general, such as animal calls or other noises.

Basic Usage:

• Meaning: To mimic or imitate someone, especially their voice.
• Example:
  • "Cô ấy có tài nhại người khác." (She is skilled at mimicking others.)

Advanced Usage:

In a broader sense, "nhại" can also refer to imitating in a playful or humorous way. It can be used in contexts such as entertainment or comedy, where someone imitates a celebrity or a character from a movie or TV show.

Word Variants:

1. Nhại lại: This phrase adds emphasis and means "to imitate again" or "to mimic back."

   • Example: "Cô ấy nhại lại giọng của thầy giáo." (She mimicked the voice of the teacher back.)

2. Nhại tiếng: This can mean "to imitate sounds."

   • Example: "Anh ấy nhại tiếng chim rất hay." (He mimics bird sounds very well.)

Different Meanings:

• While "nhại" primarily refers to imitation, it can also be used in a more general sense to describe any sort of copying behavior. However, it is often associated with humor or entertainment.

Synonyms:

• Bắt chước: This means "to copy" or "to follow," and can be used in similar contexts.

  • Example: "Cô ấy bắt chước cách nói chuyện của bạn." (She copied the way her friend talks.)

• Giả giọng: This directly translates to "to fake a voice" and is often used when someone is imitating someone else's voice in a more obvious or exaggerated manner.

  • Example: "Anh ấy giả giọng rất hài hước." (He fakes voices very humorously.)

Summary:

"Nhại" is a versatile word in Vietnamese that mainly revolves around the idea of imitation, especially in terms of voices.

Academic

1. (địa phương) Ape, mimic, imiate (someone's voice)
   • Có tài nhại người khác
     To be skill in mimicking [others'voic]