Definition

1. Verb (informal):
   • To open one's mouth (to speak): The act of beginning to speak or utter words. Often used to describe the moment someone starts talking, sometimes with a nuance that the speech is unwelcome, critical, or complaining.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Anh ta vừa cất miệng là đã phàn nàn. (He had no sooner opened his mouth than he started complaining.)
  • Đừng cất miệng ra nếu không có gì tốt đẹp để nói. (Don't open your mouth if you don't have anything nice to say.)
  • Bà ấy cất miệng kể một câu chuyện dài. (She opened her mouth and told a long story.)

Advanced Usage

• "cất miệng là...": This structure emphasizes that immediately upon speaking, a specific (often negative) action follows.
  • Cất miệng là chửi. (To open one's mouth is to swear/insult.)
  • Nó cất miệng là đòi tiền. (As soon as he opens his mouth, he asks for money.)

Variants and Related Words

• Mở miệng (verb): To open one's mouth. This is a more neutral synonym.

  • Anh ta không dám mở miệng phản đối. (He didn't dare open his mouth to object.)

• Lên tiếng (verb): To speak up, to raise one's voice. This implies speaking out, often for a cause or in defense.

  • Cô ấy lên tiếng bảo vệ đồng nghiệp. (She spoke up to defend her colleague.)

Synonyms

• Bắt đầu nói: To begin to speak.
• Phát ngôn: To utter, to make a statement (more formal).

Related Phrases

• Cất lời (verb): To begin to speak, to utter words. This is a more literary or formal variant.
  • Nhà thơ cất lời ngâm bài thơ. (The poet began to recite the poem.)

Related Idioms

• Cất miệng mắc quai: (Idiom) To be hesitant or afraid to speak; literally "to open one's mouth and get caught by the strap (of a hat)".
  • Thấy không khí căng thẳng, nó cất miệng mắc quai. (Seeing the tense atmosphere, he was too afraid to speak.)

1. (thông tục) Open one's mouth (to speak)