Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Sweet, pleasant (to the senses, especially taste or sound): "ngọt ngào" primarily describes a quality that is sweet and pleasing, often referring to taste, smell, or sound.
   • Suave, honeyed, mellifluous (of speech or manner): "ngọt ngào" is commonly used to describe speech, a voice, or behavior that is charmingly smooth, gentle, and pleasing, sometimes to the point of being insincere or cloying.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Mùi hương của loài hoa này thật ngọt ngào. (The scent of this flower is truly sweet.)
  • Cô ấy có giọng nói rất ngọt ngào và truyền cảm. (She has a very sweet and expressive voice.)
  • Anh ta dùng những lời ngọt ngào để thuyết phục cô. (He used sweet/honeyed words to persuade her.)

Advanced Usage

• "ngọt ngào đầu lưỡi": to be all sugar and honey (on the surface), to speak with a honeyed tongue. This idiom implies speech that is smooth and flattering but potentially insincere.

  • Đừng tin những lời ngọt ngào đầu lưỡi của hắn. (Don't believe his honeyed words.)

• "giọng ngọt ngào": a suave/sweet/mellifluous voice.

  • Bà chủ tiệm nói với khách hàng bằng giọng ngọt ngào. (The shop owner spoke to the customer in a suave voice.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngọt (adj): sweet (primarily for taste). This is the root word. "Ngọt ngào" is a more literary and expressive reduplication.
• Ngọt lịm (adj): intensely sweet, cloyingly sweet (often for taste, can be used metaphorically).
• Dịu ngọt (adj): gently sweet, mild and sweet.

Synonyms

• Dịu dàng: gentle, tender (often for manner or voice, but less focused on "sweetness").
• Êm ái: soft, soothing (for sound or feeling).
• Mật ngọt (n, metaphorical): honeyed sweetness.

Antonyms

• Chua chát: bitter, acrid (in taste or metaphorically for speech/situation).
• Chát: astringent, harsh (in taste).
• Gắt gỏng: sharp-tongued, irritable (for speech/manner).
• Thô lỗ: rude, coarse.

Related Idioms

• Mật ngọt chết ruồi: Literally "Sweet honey kills flies." Similar to "Flattery will get you nowhere" or warning that sweet talk can be deceptive and harmful.
  • Cẩn thận với những lời khen, mật ngọt chết ruồi đấy. (Be careful with those compliments, sweet talk can be dangerous.)

1. Sweet, suave.
   • "Cười cười nói nói ngọt ngào " (Nguyễn Du)
2. To smile and speak suavely