nghẹn ngào
[ŋɛn˧˨ʔ ŋaːw˨˩]
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
(verb) to choke with emotion (while speaking)
Verb
Where it’s used:
Used
Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora
Examples
Ông cũng nghẹn ngào khi nói lời đề nghị hội đồng xét xử (HĐXX) đánh giá lại thiệt hại của vụ án từ các hành vi của mình mà xem xét cho những bị cáo là cấp dưới của ông thời kỳ đó.Choking with emotion, he suggested that the jury review the damage from his own actions in the case, in order to give consideration to the defendants who were his subordinates at the time.
Wiktionary example (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Sources & notes
Imported from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); community review pending. source ↗
Common questions
What does “nghẹn ngào” mean?
(verb) to choke with emotion (while speaking)
Is “nghẹn ngào” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.