Definition

1. Onomatopoeia:
   • Ding-dong; tinkle; jingle: A word that imitates the light, clear, ringing sound produced when metal or glass objects (like bells, spoons, or glasses) are struck, shaken, or tapped together.

Usage Examples

• Onomatopoeia:
  • Chuông cửa kêu leng keng. (The doorbell goes ding-dong.)
  • Tiếng thìa gõ vào cốc thủy tinh nghe leng keng. (The sound of a spoon tapping a glass goes tinkle.)
  • Đứa trẻ lắc chiếc lục lạc kêu leng keng. (The child shakes the rattle, and it goes jingle.)

Advanced Usage

• Describing a series of light, metallic sounds:
  • Tiếng leng keng của những chiếc vòng tay. (The jingle of the bracelets.)
  • Used to evoke a sense of lightness, fragility, or a cheerful, clear sound in descriptive writing.

Variants and Related Words

• Leng keng is primarily used as is. There are no direct verb or adjective forms. It is a fixed onomatopoeic word.
• Kêu leng keng: (to make a / sound). This is the standard phrase where the word is used.
  • Chiếc chuông gió kêu leng keng trong gió. (The wind chime tinkles in the wind.)

Synonyms

• Kêu lanh canh: This imitates a similar but often slightly louder or more clattering sound of glass or metal.
• Kêu roong roong / rinh rinh: Other onomatopoeic words for ringing or jingling sounds.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• While leng keng itself is not typically part of idioms, it is commonly used in the phrase:
  • Tiếng leng keng: (the tinkling sound).

    • Căn phòng yên tĩnh, chỉ còn nghe tiếng leng keng của chiếc đồng hồ. (The room was quiet, with only the tinkling sound of the clock audible.)

1. ding-dong; tinkle