bắn hơi
Definition
- Verb:
- To hint, to drop a hint, to put out feelers: To indirectly or subtly communicate one's intention, opinion, or desire through an intermediary or in a roundabout way, often to gauge reactions or interest without making a direct statement.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Cô ấy bắn hơi ý định muốn đổi sang công việc mới. (She hinted at her intention to switch to a new job.)
- Họ đang bắn hơi về giá cả trước khi chính thức đàm phán. (They are putting out feelers about the price before officially negotiating.)
- Anh ấy bắn hơi cho mọi người biết anh ấy không hài lòng. (He dropped a hint to let everyone know he was dissatisfied.)
Advanced Usage
- "Bắn hơi thử": To test the waters, to float a trial balloon.
- Công ty bắn hơi thử về chính sách mới để xem phản ứng của nhân viên. (The company floated a trial balloon about the new policy to gauge employee reaction.)
Variants and Related Words
- Bóng gió (verb): To speak in a roundabout way, to insinuate. This is a close synonym but often implies more vagueness or allusion in speech.
- Anh ta nói bóng gió về vấn đề tài chính. (He spoke insinuatingly about the financial issue.)
Synonyms
- Ám chỉ (verb): To imply, to hint.
- Ra ý (verb): To show one's intention.
- Thả dò (verb): To probe, to sound out (similar in the sense of testing a reaction).
Related Phrases
- Nói bóng nói gió: To speak in hints and allusions.
- Đừng nói bóng nói gió nữa, hãy nói thẳng ra đi. (Stop speaking in hints, just say it directly.)
Related Idioms
- Đánh trống lảng: To beat around the bush, to deliberately change the subject to avoid a direct answer. This is related as it describes indirect communication, but with a focus on evasion rather than testing an idea.
- Khi được hỏi trực tiếp, anh ấy lại đánh trống lảng. (When asked directly, he beat around the bush.)