Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Sweet, delicious: Refers to food or drink that has a pleasant, sweet taste.
   • Honeyed, sweet-talking: Describes words, speech, or a manner that is deliberately pleasant, flattering, or persuasive, often to gain favor or achieve a goal.

Usage Examples

• Adjective (Taste):

  • Trái cây này rất ngon ngọt. (This fruit is very sweet and delicious.)
  • Món chè có vị ngon ngọt vừa phải. (The sweet soup has a perfectly sweet taste.)

• Adjective (Speech/Manner):

  • Anh ấy dùng lời ngon ngọt để thuyết phục cô. (He used honeyed words to persuade her.)
  • Đừng tin vào những lời ngon ngọt ấy. (Don't believe those sweet-talking words.)

Advanced Usage

• "Dỗ ngon dỗ ngọt" / "Dỗ ngon ngọt": An idiom meaning to coax, cajole, or soothe someone with flattering and persuasive words.
  • Mẹ phải dỗ ngon dỗ ngọt mãi bé mới chịu ăn. (The mother had to coax the child with sweet words for a long time before he agreed to eat.)
• Used to describe a deceitfully charming or manipulative approach.
  • Hắn ta nói ngon ngọt nhưng trong lòng lại đang tính toán. (He speaks sweetly but is secretly calculating.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngon (adj): Delicious, tasty. (Focuses more on general deliciousness rather than sweetness or persuasiveness).
• Ngọt (adj): Sweet (in taste). Can also be used in compounds like "ngọt ngào" (sweet, tender) for emotions or "ăn nói ngọt" (to speak sweetly).
• Đường mật (n): Literally "sugar honey"; used figuratively for sweet talk (e.g., - honeyed words).

Synonyms

• Ngọt ngào (adj): Sweet, tender (often for emotions or sound, but can overlap with persuasive speech).
• Tán tỉnh (v): To flirt, to court (involves using sweet words).
• Nịnh hót (v): To flatter, to butter up (has a stronger negative connotation of insincere praise).

Related Phrases (Collocations)

• Lời nói ngon ngọt: Honeyed words, sweet talk.
  • Cô ấy nghe theo những lời nói ngon ngọt của kẻ lừa đảo. (She listened to the sweet talk of the swindler.)
• Giọng nói ngon ngọt: A sweet, coaxing voice.
  • Với giọng nói ngon ngọt, cô ấy dễ dàng xin được việc. (With her sweet, coaxing voice, she easily got the job.)

Related Idioms

• Mật ngọt chết ruồi: Literally "Sweet honey kills flies"; similar to "Flattery will get you everywhere" or warns that sweet talk can be deceptive and dangerous.
  • Cảnh giác với những kẻ nói ngon ngọt, mật ngọt chết ruồi đấy. (Be wary of sweet-talkers, sweet honey kills flies, you know.)

1. Honeyed, sweet
   • Dỗ ngon dỗ ngọt
     To soothe (someone) with sweet words
   • Lời ngon ngọt
     Honeyed words