Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Completely silent, abruptly quieted: Describes a state where all sound, especially crying or shouting, stops suddenly and completely.
   • Utterly hushed: Indicates a total cessation of noise or voice, often after a period of loud activity.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Đứa bé khóc một hồi rồi im bặt. (The child cried for a while and then stopped abruptly.)
  • Sau tiếng sét, cả khu rừng im bặt. (After the thunderclap, the entire forest fell completely silent.)
  • Mọi lời tranh cãi im bặt khi giáo viên bước vào. (All arguments fell silent when the teacher entered.)

Advanced Usage

• "im bặt tiếng": A reinforcing phrase meaning "completely silent/vocaless".
  • Người diễn thuyết im bặt tiếng trước câu hỏi hóc búa. (The speaker fell completely silent before the tough question.)
• Used to describe an abrupt end to communication or sound.
  • Cuộc điện thoại đột ngột im bặt. (The phone call went dead abruptly.)

Variants and Related Words

• Im lặng (adj): Silent, quiet (can be a general or voluntary state).
  • Phòng họp im lặng. (The meeting room is quiet.)
• Im thin thít (adj): Very quiet, not making a peep (often used for people keeping deliberately quiet).
  • Nó ngồi im thin thít trong góc. (He sat very quietly in the corner.)
• Bặt (verb, literary): To cease, to stop, to disappear (often used for sounds or news).
  • Tin tức bặt vô âm tín. (The news ceased without a trace.)

Synonyms

• Tắt lịm: To die out, to be extinguished (used for sounds or lights).
• Lặng im: To become quiet/silent.
• Ngừng bặt: To stop completely (emphasizes cessation).

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Làm im bặt: To silence (someone/something).
  • Lời tuyên bố làm im bặt mọi chỉ trích. (The statement silenced all criticism.)

Related Idioms

• Im như thóc: As silent as unhusked rice (idiom meaning very quiet).
  • Cả lớp im như thóc. (The whole class was dead silent.)
• Im hơi lặng tiếng: To be completely silent and inactive (idiom).
  • Sau scandal, anh ta im hơi lặng tiếng. (After the scandal, he lay low and was completely silent.)

1. Stop crying abruptly