Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Silent: Not making or accompanied by any sound; completely quiet.
   • Still / Inactive: Not taking action or showing a reaction when one might be expected.

2. Verb:

   • To be silent / to keep quiet: To refrain from speaking or making noise.
   • To silence: To cause someone or something to become silent (less common as a verb form).

3. Noun:

   • Silence: The complete absence of sound or noise; a period or state of quiet.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Căn phòng hoàn toàn im lặng. (The room was completely silent.)
  • Anh ấy chỉ im lặng đồng ý. (He just silently agreed.)

• Verb:

  • Mọi người được yêu cầu im lặng. (Everyone was asked to be silent.)
  • Cô ấy im lặng trước những lời buộc tội. (She remained silent in the face of the accusations.)

• Noun:

  • Một sự im lặng đáng sợ bao trùm. (A frightening silence descended.)
  • Im lặng đôi khi là câu trả lời mạnh mẽ nhất. (Silence is sometimes the most powerful answer.)

Advanced Usage

• "Sự im lặng": This noun phrase explicitly means "the silence" or "the state of being silent," often used in formal or philosophical contexts.

  • Sự im lặng của anh ấy nói lên nhiều điều. (His silence speaks volumes.)

• "Giữ im lặng": A verb phrase meaning "to maintain silence" or "to keep quiet."

  • Luật sư khuyên thân chủ giữ im lặng. (The lawyer advised the client to remain silent.)

Variants and Related Words

• Im ắng (adj): Very quiet, hushed (often describes a place or atmosphere).

  • Khu phố im ắng lúc nửa đêm. (The neighborhood is hushed at midnight.)

• Lặng im (adj, verb): A synonym for "im lặng," meaning silent or to be silent. The word order is reversed for poetic or emphatic effect.

  • Mọi thứ chợt lặng im. (Everything suddenly fell silent.)

Synonyms

• Adjective: Quiet, noiseless, soundless, still, mute.
• Verb: To quiet down, to hush, to say nothing.
• Noun: Quiet, hush, stillness.

Related Idioms

• Im lặng là vàng: Silence is golden.

  • Trong tình huống đó, im lặng là vàng. (In that situation, silence is golden.)

• Im như thóc: As silent as rice; meaning completely and utterly silent.

  • Bọn trẻ ngồi im như thóc. (The children sat as silent as mice.)

• Im hơi lặng tiếng: To disappear or become completely inactive and unheard from.

  • Sau scandal, ông ta im hơi lặng tiếng. (After the scandal, he disappeared from public view.)

1. tính từ, động từ, danh từ silent, sitence ; to silence