Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To keep strict silence; to remain completely silent: The phrase "ngậm tăm" describes the action of deliberately and forcefully keeping quiet, often under compulsion or to avoid danger. It implies holding one's tongue, not uttering a single word.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Biết chuyện đó nhưng anh ta phải ngậm tăm. (He knew about it but had to keep strict silence.)
  • Trước mặt đối thủ, cả đội ngậm tăm không nói gì về chiến lược. (In front of the opponent, the whole team kept completely silent about the strategy.)
  • Du kích ngậm tăm đi qua vị trí địch. (The guerrilla fighters moved past the enemy position in complete silence.)

Advanced Usage

• "Biết đấy mà phải ngậm tăm": To know something but to be forced to keep silence.
  • Cô ấy biết sự thật nhưng biết đấy mà phải ngậm tăm vì sợ hậu quả. (She knew the truth but was forced to keep silent for fear of the consequences.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nín thinh / Nín lặng (verb): To keep quiet, to fall silent. (These are more general and less forceful than "ngậm tăm").
• Câm như hến (idiom): To be as silent as a clam; to refuse to speak.
• Ngậm miệng (verb phrase): To shut one's mouth (often used as a command).

Synonyms

• Giữ im lặng: To maintain silence.
• Không hé răng: (Idiomatic) To not utter a word; literally "to not bare a tooth".

Related Idioms

• Ngậm bồ hòn làm ngọt: To hold a bitter fruit in the mouth and pretend it's sweet; to endure hardship or bitterness in silence.
  • Dù bị oan ức, ông ấy vẫn ngậm bồ hòn làm ngọt. (Even though wronged, he still endured the bitterness in silence.)

Notes on Usage

• Register: "Ngậm tăm" is considered a colloquial and somewhat vivid expression. It is not highly vulgar but carries a strong, figurative tone.
• Imagery: The phrase evokes the image of holding a toothpick ("tăm") between one's lips, physically preventing speech. It emphasizes a conscious, active effort to stay quiet, often in a tense or dangerous situation where speaking would be detrimental.

1. Keep strict silence
   • Biết đấy mà phải ngậm tăm
     To know it but to be forced to keep silence