Definition

1. Adjective phrase:
   • Being a good talker, being eloquent: Describes a person who speaks skillfully, persuasively, and effectively.
   • Being tactful in speech: Refers to the ability to speak in a clever, diplomatic, or considerate manner to achieve a desired effect or avoid offense.

Usage Examples

• Adjective phrase:
  • Anh ấy rất khéo nói nên thuyết phục được nhiều người. (He is a good talker, so he can persuade many people.)
  • Là một luật sư, cô ấy cần phải khéo nói. (As a lawyer, she needs to be eloquent.)
  • Chị ấy khéo nói thật, chẳng ai giận được câu nào của chị. (She is so tactful in speech; no one can get angry at anything she says.)

Advanced Usage

• "khéo nói khéo làm": being skillful in both speech and action.
  • Muốn thành công trong kinh doanh, phải là người khéo nói khéo làm. (To succeed in business, one must be skillful in both speech and action.)
• "khéo nói hơn khéo làm": better at talking than doing (often implies empty promises).
  • Đừng tin anh ta, anh ta chỉ khéo nói hơn khéo làm thôi. (Don't trust him; he's all talk and no action.)

Variants and Related Words

• Khéo léo (adj): skillful, deft, tactful (a more general term for skillfulness).
  • Cô ấy xử lý tình huống rất khéo léo. (She handled the situation very tactfully.)
• Ăn nói khéo (verb phrase): to speak tactfully.
  • Cần phải ăn nói khéo khi đàm phán. (You need to speak tactfully during negotiations.)
• Hùng biện (adj/n): eloquent, oratory (focuses more on formal, powerful public speaking).
  • Bài phát biểu hùng biện của ông ấy lay động lòng người. (His eloquent speech moved people's hearts.)

Synonyms

• Có tài ăn nói: having a talent for speaking.
• Lời lẽ khôn khéo: using clever/cautious words.
• Mồm mép: (colloquial, can be slightly negative) having the gift of the gab.

Related Phrases/Idioms

• Khéo mồm khéo miệng: (idiom) having a clever/smooth mouth; very persuasive or glib in speech.
  • Cậu bé khéo mồm khéo miệng nên được mọi người yêu quý. (The boy is very smooth-tongued, so everyone loves him.)
• Nói khéo: (verb phrase) to put something tactfully, to phrase something diplomatically.
  • Cô ấy nói khéo để từ chối lời mời mà không làm mất lòng ai. (She put it tactfully to decline the invitation without offending anyone.)

1. Be good talker