뜻
Doing something while still sleepy.
문화적 배경
Early morning markets are a staple of Vietnamese life. Many people go there 'mắt nhắm mắt mở' to get the freshest produce. The phrase is often used in Vietnamese comedy (Hài) to depict relatable, clumsy characters. Vietnamese parents often use this to tease their children who are slow to wake up for school. Coffee culture is the 'cure' for being 'mắt nhắm mắt mở'. The transition from this state to 'tỉnh táo' (alert) happens at the cafe.
The 'Excuse' Card
Use this phrase to soften the blow when you make a small mistake. It makes you sound human and relatable.
Not for Doctors
Don't use this in a medical context to describe eye problems; it's strictly for sleepiness.
뜻
Doing something while still sleepy.
The 'Excuse' Card
Use this phrase to soften the blow when you make a small mistake. It makes you sound human and relatable.
Not for Doctors
Don't use this in a medical context to describe eye problems; it's strictly for sleepiness.
Rhythm Matters
Say it with a slight bounce to match the 4-syllable rhythm of Vietnamese folk speech.
셀프 테스트
Fill in the missing idiom.
Sáng nay tôi ________ nên đi nhầm vào nhà vệ sinh nữ.
The context of a morning mistake fits the idiom perfectly.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
A: Tôi nhắm mắt mở mắt đi làm. B: Tôi mắt nhắm mắt mở đi làm.
Idioms have a fixed word order in Vietnamese.
Match the situation to the phrase.
You just woke up and are trying to find your phone.
This describes the groggy state of searching for something right after waking up.
🎉 점수: /3
시각 학습 자료
When to use 'Mắt nhắm mắt mở'
Morning
- • Making coffee
- • Finding socks
- • Brushing teeth
Late Night
- • Studying
- • Answering texts
- • Driving (careful!)
연습 문제 은행
3 연습 문제Sáng nay tôi ________ nên đi nhầm vào nhà vệ sinh nữ.
The context of a morning mistake fits the idiom perfectly.
A: Tôi nhắm mắt mở mắt đi làm. B: Tôi mắt nhắm mắt mở đi làm.
Idioms have a fixed word order in Vietnamese.
You just woke up and are trying to find your phone.
This describes the groggy state of searching for something right after waking up.
🎉 점수: /3
자주 묻는 질문
5 질문No, it's usually seen as a sympathetic or teasing observation, not an insult.
Not really. For being drunk, 'say xỉn' or 'lơ mơ' is better. This is specifically for sleepiness.
The formal equivalent would be 'trong tình trạng chưa tỉnh táo' (in an un-alert state).
Technically yes, but 'Mắt nhắm mắt mở' is the standard idiomatic order.
Yes, you can describe a sleepy puppy as 'mắt nhắm mắt mở'.
관련 표현
Ngủ gà ngủ gật
similarNodding off like a chicken.
Lơ mơ
similarDazed or groggy.
Tỉnh như sáo
contrastWide awake (like a starling).
Quáng gà
specialized formNight blindness/blurred vision.
