quen mặt
Definition
- Adjective (Phrase):
- To be familiar / to look familiar: Refers to a person's face being recognizable because one has seen them before, though one may not recall their name or specific details. It describes a state of visual recognition without deep acquaintance.
- To be acquainted (by sight): Indicates a superficial level of familiarity, typically from repeated visual encounters rather than personal interaction.
Usage Examples
- Adjective (Phrase):
- Tôi thấy anh ta quen mặt lắm. (I find his face very familiar.)
- Cô ấy quen mặt nhưng tôi không nhớ tên. (She looks familiar, but I don't remember her name.)
- Họ là những khách hàng quen mặt ở đây. (They are familiar-faced customers here.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase can imply a social connection limited to visual recognition, often used in contexts like neighborhoods, markets, or regular establishments.
- Chúng tôi chỉ quen mặt nhau chứ không nói chuyện. (We only know each other by sight; we don't talk.)
Variants and Related Words
Quen biết (v): to be acquainted with, to know someone (implies a broader familiarity, possibly including interaction).
- Tôi quen biết gia đình anh ấy. (I am acquainted with his family.)
Mặt quen (n): a familiar face.
- Quán cà phê đầy những mặt quen. (The coffee shop is full of familiar faces.)
Synonyms
- Recognizable: able to be recognized from previous encounters.
- Familiar-faced: having a face that is known from sight.
Related Idioms
- Quen mặt đặt tên: Literally "familiar face, put a name"; used when one recognizes a face but struggles to recall the associated name.
- Anh ấy quen mặt đặt tên nhiều người trong làng. (He recognizes many people in the village by face but can't always name them.)