Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Refined; Cultured: Describes a person, their manner, or their tastes as being well-educated, polite, and showing a subtle appreciation for art, literature, and graceful behavior, reminiscent of a classical scholar.
   • Elegant; Graceful: Describes something (such as style, speech, or appearance) that is characterized by a simple, tasteful, and understated beauty.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Cô ấy có phong cách ăn mặc rất nho nhã. (Her style of dress is very elegant.)
  • Lời nói của ông ấy lúc nào cũng nho nhã và lịch sự. (His speech is always refined and polite.)
  • Căn phòng được trang trí một cách nho nhã với vài bức tranh thủy mặc. (The room was decorated in a cultured manner with a few ink wash paintings.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "nho nhã" often carries a connotation of the ideals associated with the traditional Confucian scholar-gentleman (), implying not just outward elegance but also inner cultivation and moral integrity.

Variants and Related Words

• Thanh nhã (adj): Elegant, refined; often used interchangeably with , but can emphasize purity and delicacy more strongly.
  • Âm nhạc thanh nhã. (Elegant music.)

Synonyms

• Refined: Purified from coarseness; polished.
• Cultured: Characterized by refined taste and manners.
• Elegant: Gracefully stylish.
• Gentlemanly: Suiting or characteristic of a well-mannered man.

Related Idioms

• While "nho nhã" itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, the concept is central to phrases like "văn nhã" (cultured and elegant) or the ideal of "kẻ sĩ" (the scholar), which embodies qualities.

adj

1. refined; cultured; elegant