ầm ừ

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The Vietnamese word "ầm ừ" is a verb that describes the action of hesitating or being indecisive, similar to the English phrases "hum and haw" or "hem and haw." It is often used when someone is unsure or is taking time to think before giving a response.

Basic Meaning:

• To hum and haw: This means to hesitate or be uncertain, often making sounds like "um" or "uh" as someone thinks about what to say.

Usage Instructions:

You can use "ầm ừ" when you want to describe someone who is not confident in their answer or is taking too long to respond, perhaps because they are unsure about something.

Examples:

1. Basic Example:

   • "Khi được hỏi về kế hoạch của mình, anh ấy chỉ ầm ừ, không biết phải trả lời như thế nào."
   • Translation: "When asked about his plans, he just hummed and hawed, not knowing how to answer."

2. Advanced Example:

   • "Trong cuộc họp, cô ấy ầm ừ cho qua chuyện, không muốn thảo luận về vấn đề khó khăn."
   • Translation: "In the meeting, she hummed and hawed to slide over the issue, not wanting to discuss the difficult problem."

Variants:

• "ầm à ầm ừ": This is a slightly more emphatic version of "ầm ừ," indicating that someone is hesitating repeatedly or is particularly indecisive.

Different Meanings:

While "ầm ừ" primarily conveys hesitance, it can also imply a lack of commitment to a decision or avoiding a direct answer.

Synonyms:

• Chần chừ: This means to hesitate or procrastinate.
• Do dự: This means to waver or be uncertain.
• Lưỡng lự: This means to be indecisive or to hesitate.

Academic

verb

1. To hum and haw, to hum and ha, to hem and haw
   • ầm ừ cho qua chuyện
     to hum and haw and slide over some business
   • ầm à ầm ừ
     to hum and haw repeatedly