nhoang nhoáng
Definition
Adjective:
- Flashy, glitzy, showy: Having a bright, shiny, or overly decorated appearance intended to attract attention, often in a superficial or tasteless way.
- Flickering, flashing: Emitting quick, intermittent flashes of light; gleaming or sparkling briefly and repeatedly.
Adverb:
- In a flashy manner: Doing something in a way that is superficially impressive or showy.
- In a flickering manner: Shining or gleaming intermittently.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Cô ấy thích phong cách ăn mặc nhoang nhoáng. (She likes a flashy style of dressing.)
- Ánh đèn nhoang nhoáng từ sân khấu. (The flickering lights from the stage.)
- Adverb:
- Chiếc xe được trang trí nhoang nhoáng. (The car was decorated flashily.)
- Ngôi sao lấp lánh nhoang nhoáng trên bầu trời. (The star twinkled flickeringly in the sky.)
Advanced Usage
- Often carries a slightly negative connotation when describing style or appearance, implying a lack of substance, elegance, or good taste behind the showy exterior.
- Can describe visual phenomena where light is unsteady or not constant.
Variants and Related Words
- Nhoáng (adj/adv): A shorter, more abrupt form meaning a single flash or a brief showy appearance.
- Ánh chớp nhoáng một cái. (A flash of lightning.)
Synonyms
- Flashy: Attracting attention by being bright and cheap-looking.
- Glitzy: Showily attractive, glamorous in a superficial way.
- Flickering: Shining unsteadily; varying rapidly in brightness.
- Showy: Having a striking appearance, often excessively so.
Related Idioms
- Hào nhoáng: This is a more common and stronger synonym meaning ostentatious, specious, or deceptively impressive. It often refers to empty promises or false brilliance.
- Lời hứa hào nhoáng. (Grandiose/empty promises.)