Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Lissome; lithe: Describes a person's figure or body as gracefully slender, flexible, and moving with a soft, supple elegance.
   • Glistening and silky; having a glossy and soft sheen: Describes hair, plants, or other surfaces that are shiny, smooth, and luxuriantly soft to the look and touch.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Dáng người cô ta óng ả. (Her figure is lissome.)
  • Mái tóc dài óng ả. (Long, silky hair.)
  • Cây lúa xanh óng ả. (The green rice plants are glossy and lush.)

Advanced Usage

• The word "óng ả" is primarily used in descriptive, often poetic or literary, contexts to evoke visual and tactile beauty. It combines the ideas of radiant sheen ("óng") and soft, graceful suppleness ("ả").

Variants and Related Words

• Óng ánh (adj): Refers specifically to a radiant, shimmering, or glittering shine, like that of light on water or polished metal. It lacks the connotation of softness inherent in "óng ả".
• Mượt mà (adj): Means smooth and soft, often used for hair or fabric. It is a close synonym for the textural aspect of "óng ả" but does not inherently include the element of a glossy sheen.

Synonyms

• Lissome: Gracefully thin and supple (for figures).
• Silky: Having the smooth, soft, shiny quality of silk.
• Glossy: Shiny and smooth on the surface.
• Supple: Bending and moving easily; flexible.

Related Idioms

• While "óng ả" itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, it is a key adjective in evocative descriptions of traditional beauty in Vietnamese literature and poetry, often used to depict a woman's graceful form or beautiful hair.

adj

1. lissome
   • dáng người cô ta óng ả
     Her figuce is lissome