Definition

1. Noun:
   • An acquaintance: A person whom one knows, but who is not a close friend or family member. This refers to a social connection that is familiar but not intimate.
   • Someone familiar: A person recognized from previous encounters or interactions, implying a degree of recognition without deep personal knowledge.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Cô ấy chỉ là một người quen cũ. (She is just an old acquaintance.)
  • Tôi gặp một người quen ở siêu thị. (I met someone familiar at the supermarket.)
  • Anh ấy có rất nhiều người quen trong ngành. (He has many acquaintances in the industry.)

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used in comparative structures to distinguish levels of relationship.
  • Đó không phải là bạn thân, chỉ là người quen thôi. (That's not a close friend, just an acquaintance.)

Variants and Related Words

• Quen biết (v): to be acquainted with, to know someone.

  • Chúng tôi quen biết nhau đã lâu. (We have been acquainted for a long time.)

• Bạn quen (n): a familiar friend; often similar to "người quen" but may imply a slightly closer connection.

  • Một vài bạn quen sẽ đến dự tiệc. (A few familiar friends will attend the party.)

Synonyms

• Acquaintance: A person one knows slightly.
• Contact: A person one knows in a professional or social network.

Related Idioms

• Quen mặt: to be familiar with someone's face (often without knowing them well).

  • Tôi thấy anh ta quen mặt lắm. (His face looks very familiar to me.)

• Biết mặt quen tên: to know someone by face and name (implies a basic level of familiarity).

  • Với dân trong nghề, họ chỉ biết mặt quen tên nhau. (Within the industry, they only know each other by face and name.)