mềm môi
Definition
- Adjective phrase:
- Having developed a taste for alcohol; being in a state where one enjoys drinking and continues to do so: Describes the condition of someone who, after starting to drink alcohol, finds it pleasurable and continues drinking, often more than initially intended. It implies a loss of initial restraint due to the enjoyable effect.
Usage Examples
- Adjective phrase:
- Ông ấy đã mềm môi và uống hết nửa chai. (He had developed a taste for it and drank half the bottle.)
- Chỉ định uống một ly, nhưng anh ta mềm môi rồi ở lại cả tối. (He only planned to have one glass, but he got into the flow and stayed the whole evening.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is often used to explain or excuse continued drinking beyond a limit. It carries a connotation of succumbing to the pleasurable temptation of alcohol once the drinking has begun.
Variants and Related Words
- Mềm lòng (adj): to soften one's heart, to be persuaded or to relent.
- This is a separate phrase relating to emotions or resolve, not directly to drinking.
Synonyms
- To acquire a taste for the drink: To begin to enjoy alcohol after starting.
- To be on a roll (with drinking): To continue drinking pleasurably.
- To get into the swing of drinking: To become engaged in the activity of drinking.
Related Idioms
- Men say rượu, gái mềm môi: A proverb suggesting men are prone to boasting when drunk, and women are prone to gossip or loose talk. Here, "mềm môi" is used figuratively for women becoming talkative.
- Câu tục ngữ "men say rượu, gái mềm môi" ám chỉ những thói xấu khi mất tự chủ. (The proverb "drunken men, gossiping women" alludes to bad habits when self-control is lost.)