khinh khích

Hai đứa trẻ ngồi trong góc phòng và khinh khích cười.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Giggly; tittering: Describes a light, repeated, and often suppressed sound of laughter, typically expressing amusement, shyness, or mischief. It implies a soft, intermittent chuckle.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Bọn trẻ nghe thấy câu chuyện và cười khinh khích. (The children heard the story and giggled.)
  • Cô ấy chỉ khinh khích cười mà không nói gì. (She just tittered without saying anything.)

Advanced Usage

• The word often describes laughter that is not loud or boisterous but is quiet, secretive, or contained, as if trying not to be fully heard.

Variants and Related Words

• Khúc khích (adj): This is a direct synonym, also meaning to giggle or titter. The two words are often used interchangeably.
  • Hai đứa thì thầm và cười khúc khích. (The two whispered and giggled.)

Synonyms

• To giggle: To laugh lightly in a nervous, silly, or amused way.
• To titter: To give a short, half-suppressed laugh.

Related Idioms

• While "khinh khích" itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, it describes the action common in phrases like:
  • Cười khinh khích một mình: To giggle to oneself.