Definition

1. 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.)