nói miệng
Definition
Noun:
- Oral communication / Spoken word: The act of conveying information, instructions, or promises verbally, without a written record or formal document.
- Verbal statement: A message or agreement expressed through speech alone.
Adjectival Phrase:
- Verbal / Oral: Describing something that is communicated or agreed upon through speech, not writing.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- Đây chỉ là nói miệng, không có giấy tờ gì cả. (This is just a verbal agreement, there are no documents.)
- Lời hứa nói miệng thường khó kiểm chứng. (A spoken promise is often hard to verify.)
Adjectival Phrase:
- Họ có một thỏa thuận nói miệng. (They have a verbal agreement.)
- Tin tức được truyền đi bằng hình thức nói miệng. (The news was spread by word of mouth.)
Advanced Usage
- Used to contrast with formal, written communication, often implying a lack of official proof or binding force.
- Hợp đồng nói miệng không có giá trị pháp lý bằng văn bản. (An oral contract does not have the same legal value as a written one.)
Variants and Related Words
- Nói miệng đỡ chân tay (Idiomatic expression): Literally "speaking saves the limbs," meaning using clever talk to avoid physical work.
- Khẩu đầu (n): A synonym meaning a verbal promise or statement.
Synonyms
- Verbal agreement: An agreement made through speech.
- Oral communication: The process of communicating spoken words.
- Word of mouth: Information passed from person to person by speaking.
Related Idioms
- Tin nói miệng không bằng tay bịt miệng: A proverb suggesting that spoken words are less reliable than tangible evidence or actions.