Definition

1. Adjective / Adverb:
   • Silent / in silence: Describes a state or action of being completely quiet, making no sound, especially by not speaking.
   • Tacitly consenting: Implies agreement or acceptance through silence, not through words.

Usage Examples

• Adjective / Adverb:
  • Cả phòng họp lặng thinh. (The entire meeting room fell silent.)
  • Cô ấy chỉ lặng thinh nghe, không hề phản bác. (She just listened in silence, without any rebuttal.)
  • Sự lặng thinh của anh ấy được hiểu là đồng ý. (His silence was understood as agreement.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "lặng thinh" often carries a poetic or literary nuance, describing a deep, profound, or tense silence, heavier than the more common word .
• It is frequently used to describe an emotional or meaningful silence, such as one filled with unspoken thoughts, respect, sorrow, or unspoken conflict.

Variants and Related Words

• Im lặng (adj/v): to be silent, quiet. This is the more general, everyday term for silence.

  • Hãy giữ im lặng. (Please be quiet.)

• Thinh lặng (adj): silent, still (often describing atmosphere or nature). This is a less common variant with similar meaning.

  • Khu rừng thật thinh lặng. (The forest is very still.)

Synonyms

• Silent: making no sound.
• Quiet: free from noise or speech.
• Mute: refraining from speech.
• Tacit: understood or implied without being stated.

Related Idioms

• Lặng thinh như tờ: As silent as a sheet of paper; meaning extremely quiet, with no sound at all.

  • Đêm khuya, con phố lặng thinh như tờ. (Late at night, the street was silent as a grave.)

• The concept relates to the proverb "Im lặng là vàng" (Silence is golden), emphasizing the value of quiet or restraint in speech.