Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Taciturn / Reserved: Describes a person who speaks very little; someone who is habitually quiet and not inclined to conversation.
   • Close-mouthed / Reticent: Indicates a tendency to be silent, especially about one's own thoughts, feelings, or affairs.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Anh ấy là người rất ít nói. (He is a very taciturn person.)
  • Cô ấy trông lạnh lùng và ít nói. (She appears cold and reserved.)
  • Trong cuộc họp, anh ấy chỉ ngồi im và ít nói. (During the meeting, he just sat quietly and said little.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase can describe a permanent character trait or a temporary state in a specific situation.
  • Sau sự cố, cô ấy trở nên ít nói hẳn. (After the incident, she became much more withdrawn.)

Variants and Related Words

• Trầm tính (adj): calm, introverted. This often overlaps with ít nói but emphasizes a calm demeanor rather than just speech quantity.

  • Bạn tôi trầm tính nhưng không phải lúc nào cũng ít nói. (My friend is introverted but not always taciturn.)

• Kín miệng (adj): tight-lipped, secretive. This focuses on deliberately not revealing information.

  • Về vụ án, cảnh sát rất kín miệng. (Regarding the case, the police are very tight-lipped.)

Synonyms

• Taciturn: Habitually silent or uncommunicative.
• Reticent: Not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily.
• Reserved: Slow to reveal emotions or opinions.
• Quiet: Making little or no noise; characterized by little conversation.

Related Idioms and Proverbs

• "Ít nói nhiều làm": (Say little, do much). Describes a person who is a person of action rather than words.

  • Ông chủ mới theo châm ngôn ít nói nhiều làm. (The new boss follows the motto of saying little and doing much.)

• "Nước sâu thường chảy chậm, người sâu sắc thường ít nói": (Deep water runs slow, profound people often speak little). Similar to the English "Still waters run deep."

  • Đừng đánh giá anh ấy qua vẻ ngoài; người sâu sắc thường ít nói mà. (Don't judge him by his appearance; profound people are often quiet.)

adj

1. telling little; close-mouthed
   • kẻ ít nói là kẻ đáng sợ nhất
     Still water run deep