Definition

1. Noun:
   • Air; appearance; manner: The characteristic overall impression conveyed by a person's posture, gait, gestures, and bearing. It refers to the way someone carries themselves.
   • Demeanor; deportment: The outward behavior or bearing, especially as indicative of one's mood, character, or attitude.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Cô ấy có dáng điệu rất tự tin. (She has a very confident air / manner.)
  • Dáng điệu của anh ấy khi bước vào phòng thu hút mọi sự chú ý. (His demeanor as he entered the room attracted everyone's attention.)
  • Tôi nhận ra dáng điệu quen thuộc của mẹ từ xa. (I recognized my mother's familiar figure / bearing from afar.)

Advanced Usage

• "dáng điệu... (của ai/ cái gì)": The ... air/manner (of someone/something). This structure is used to describe the specific quality of someone's bearing.
  • Dáng điệu kiêu hãnh của con sư tử. (The proud bearing of the lion.)
• "qua dáng điệu": Judging by/from the demeanor. Used to infer something from appearance.
  • Qua dáng điệu, có thể thấy anh ta đang rất lo lắng. (Judging by his demeanor, one can see he is very worried.)

Variants and Related Words

• Dáng (n): Form, shape, figure. Often refers more to physical shape or silhouette.
  • dáng người (body shape/figure)
• Điệu (n): Manner, style, air. Often refers to a stylized or affected way of doing something.
  • điệu bộ (gesture, mannerism)
• Tư thế (n): Posture, stance. More specific to the position of the body.
• Phong thái (n): Style, demeanor. Often implies an elegant or distinctive manner.

Synonyms

• Vẻ (n): Look, appearance. (e.g., - facial expression)
• Thần thái (n): Spirit, aura, vibe. Refers more to the energetic quality projected.
• Cử chỉ (n): Gesture, mannerism. More focused on specific movements.

Related Phrases / Collocations

• dáng điệu khoan thai: a leisurely, unhurried manner
• dáng điệu ung dung: a calm, composed, unflustered air
• dáng điệu lúng túng: a flustered, awkward manner
• dáng điệu oai vệ: a majestic, imposing bearing

Notes on Meaning

• dáng điệu is a compound noun formed from dáng (form/figure) and điệu (manner/air). It synthesizes these concepts to describe the holistic, observable manner of a person (or sometimes an animal).
• It is an abstract noun describing an overall impression, not a single action. It is often used in descriptive and literary contexts.
• While it can be translated as "appearance," it leans more towards (how one moves and holds oneself) rather than static looks.

1. air; appearance; manner