Definition

1. Verb (informal, dialectal):
   • To remain silent / to keep quiet: To deliberately not speak or respond, often in a situation where a response is expected. This term is common in central and southern Vietnamese dialects.
   • To feign ignorance through silence: To stay quiet as a way of avoiding a question, confrontation, or responsibility.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Tôi hỏi nó, nó cứ mần thinh. (I asked him, but he just kept quiet.)
  • Đừng có mần thinh, trả lời câu hỏi đi! (Don't just stay silent, answer the question!)
  • Nó biết lỗi nên chỉ biết mần thinh. (He knew he was at fault, so he could only remain silent.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "mần thinh" carries a connotation of intentional or stubborn silence. It is often used when someone's silence is noticeable, awkward, or frustrating to others.

Variants and Related Words

• Làm thinh (v): The standard, more formal synonym for "mần thinh," meaning to remain silent.
  • Cô ấy chỉ làm thinh không nói gì. (She just remained silent and said nothing.)

Synonyms

• Keep quiet: To not speak.
• Stay silent: To remain without speech.
• Clam up (idiomatic): To suddenly become silent, especially when nervous or secretive.

Related Idioms

• Mần thinh như thóc (idiomatic, dialectal): To be completely and stubbornly silent, like unhusked rice (which makes no sound).
  • Cả buổi họp, anh ta mần thinh như thóc. (Throughout the meeting, he was as silent as unhusked rice.)