hé răng
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To open one's mouth slightly, often to speak: The primary meaning is to barely open one's mouth, typically with the implication of starting to say something or uttering a word. It is frequently used in negative constructions to indicate silence or refusal to speak.
- To reveal a small part (figurative): In a figurative sense, it can mean to reveal a tiny bit of information or to show a glimpse of something, like teeth in a slight smile.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Nó ngồi im, không hé răng nửa lời. (He sat still, not uttering a single word.)
- Cô ấy chỉ hé răng cười nhẹ rồi quay đi. (She just parted her lips in a slight smile before turning away.)
- Suốt buổi thẩm vấn, nghi phạm không hé răng. (Throughout the interrogation, the suspect didn't say a word.)
Advanced Usage
- "Không hé răng" / "Chẳng hé răng": An idiomatic negative phrase meaning "to not say a word," "to keep one's mouth shut," or "to not breathe a word."
- Về vụ đó, anh ta nhất quyết không hé răng. (Regarding that matter, he stubbornly refused to say anything.)
- "Hé răng nửa lời": A common collocation meaning "to utter even half a word," emphasizing complete silence.
- Nó bực mình nên chẳng hé răng nửa lời. (He was annoyed, so he didn't utter a single syllable.)
Variants and Related Words
- Hé môi (verb): Similar to "hé răng," meaning to part one's lips slightly, often to speak. The nuance can be slightly softer.
- Ngậm miệng (verb): To keep one's mouth shut, to be silent.
- Mở miệng (verb): To open one's mouth (to speak). This is a more general and neutral term compared to the slight, often reluctant action implied by "hé răng."
Synonyms
- Cất tiếng (verb): To raise one's voice, to speak up.
- Lên tiếng (verb): To speak out, to voice an opinion.
- Nói (verb): To speak, to say. ("Hé răng" often implies the very beginning of this action or its refusal.)
Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)
This word is typically used as a simple verb and does not commonly form phrasal verbs in Vietnamese.
Related Idioms
- Ngậm tăm, không dám hé răng: Literally "to hold a toothpick in the mouth, not dare to open it." This idiom vividly describes being forced into complete silence, often out of fear or subservience.
- Trước mặt sếp, mọi người đều ngậm tăm, không dám hé răng. (In front of the boss, everyone kept their mouths shut and didn't dare to speak.)