mủm mỉm
Definition
- Adjective (Reduplicative):
- Smiling gently with a slightly closed mouth: Describes a soft, subtle, and often contented or amused smile where the lips are only slightly parted or curved. It often conveys a sense of quiet happiness, satisfaction, or a secret thought.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Bà cụ ngồi mủm mỉm nhìn đàn cháu chơi đùa. (The old woman sat smiling gently as she watched her grandchildren play.)
- Nghe tin vui, anh ấy chỉ mủm mỉm cười một mình. (Hearing the good news, he just smiled quietly to himself.)
- Cô bé mủm mỉm khi được khen. (The little girl broke into a soft smile when she was praised.)
Advanced Usage
- This word is a reduplicative form (láy) of "mỉm," which itself means to smile slightly. The reduplication "mủm mỉm" adds a sense of repetition, continuity, or a more vivid, endearing quality to the smile.
Variants and Related Words
- Mỉm cười (v): to smile (slightly).
- Cô ấy mỉm cười đồng ý. (She smiled in agreement.)
Synonyms
- To smile gently/quietly: To form a soft, subtle smile.
- To beam (softly): To smile radiantly, but with a connotation of being contained or quiet.
- To grin (subtly): A broad smile, but "mủm mỉm" suggests a less wide, more closed-mouth version.
Related Idioms
- While "mủm mỉm" itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, it describes the facial expression often associated with proverbs about concealed happiness or quiet contentment.
- Nuốt cười: To suppress a laugh or smile, which can be related to the contained nature of a "mủm mỉm" smile.
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xem mỉm (láy)
