ngậm

Definition

Verb:
- To hold in one's mouth: To keep something inside the mouth without chewing or swallowing it.
- To close (one's mouth): To bring the lips together, keeping the mouth shut.
- To endure silently: To bear or suffer something (like bitterness, injustice) without complaint or outward reaction.

Usage Examples

To hold in one's mouth:
- Em bé ngậm núm vú giả. (The baby is holding a pacifier in its mouth.)
- Bệnh nhân được dặn ngậm thuốc cho tan. (The patient was told to hold the medicine in their mouth until it dissolves.)
To close (one's mouth):
- Cô ấy ngậm miệng lại và im lặng. (She closed her mouth and stayed silent.)
To endure silently:
- Anh ấy ngậm đắng nuốt cay, không dám nói gì. (He endured the bitterness silently, not daring to say anything.)

Advanced Usage

"ngậm hờn" / "ngậm oan": To harbor resentment / to suffer an injustice silently.
- Bà ấy ngậm hờn suốt mấy chục năm. (She harbored resentment for decades.)
"ngậm máu phun người": (Idiomatic) To slander someone; literally, to hold blood in the mouth and spit it at someone, implying making false, damaging accusations.

Variants and Related Words

Ngậm ngùi (adj): To be filled with poignant sadness, melancholy.
- Câu chuyện khiến ai nấy đều ngậm ngùi. (The story left everyone feeling melancholic.)
Ngậm mồm (v, informal): To shut up, to stop talking.

Synonyms

Related Idioms

Ngậm đắng nuốt cay: To swallow bitterness and acridity; to endure extreme hardship and humiliation in silence.
- Họ phải ngậm đắng nuốt cay để sống qua ngày. (They had to swallow bitterness just to get by each day.)
Ngậm bồ hòn làm ngọt: To pretend something bitter is sweet; to put on a brave face or feign happiness in a difficult situation.
Câm như hến: (Simile) To be as silent as a clam; to refuse to speak. This is a related concept describing silent endurance or refusal to talk.

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