nhấp giọng

Definition

Verb:
- To take a sip: The action of drinking a very small amount of a liquid, especially to moisten one's throat or to taste it.
- To wet one's whistle (idiomatic): To drink a small amount, often of an alcoholic beverage.

Usage Examples

Verb:
- Anh ấy nhấp giọng cà phê buổi sáng. (He takes a sip of his morning coffee.)
- Trời nóng, tôi chỉ cần nhấp giọng nước lọc. (It's hot, I just need to take a sip of plain water.)
- Ông cụ nhấp giọng rượu mùi trước bữa ăn. (The old man takes a sip of liqueur before the meal.)

Advanced Usage

"nhấp giọng cho đỡ khát": to take a sip to quench thirst temporarily.
- Đường còn xa, chúng ta dừng lại nhấp giọng cho đỡ khát đã. (The road is still long, let's stop to take a sip to quench our thirst first.)
Used to describe a delicate, savoring way of drinking, often in social or ritual contexts (e.g., tasting tea, wine).

Variants and Related Words

Nhấm nháp (verb): To sip slowly, savoring the taste. This word emphasizes the slow, appreciative action more than .
- Cô ấy nhấm nháp ly rượu vang đỏ. (She sips slowly on the glass of red wine.)
Hớp (verb): To take a small, quick sip or gulp. It can imply a faster, less delicate action than .
- Đứa trẻ hớp một ngụm nước. (The child takes a quick sip of water.)

Synonyms

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

Note: As a verb, 'nhấp giọng' itself is not typically broken into phrasal verb components in Vietnamese. The action is expressed as a single unit.

Related Idioms

Nhấp giọng chè tàu: To sip Chinese tea (often implies a leisurely, cultured activity).
- Các cụ già ngồi nhấp giọng chè tàu nói chuyện thời thế. (The elders sit sipping Chinese tea and talking about current affairs.)
Miếng trầu là đầu câu chuyện, chén trà là *giọng nhấp thân tình.: (The betel quid starts the conversation, the cup of tea is the *friendly sip.) – A saying highlighting the social role of sharing tea.