sẩy miệng
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To make a slip of the tongue: To say something unintentionally, especially something embarrassing, secret, or incorrect that one did not mean to reveal.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Anh ấy đã sẩy miệng tiết lộ bí mật. (He made a slip of the tongue and revealed the secret.)
- Tôi xin lỗi vì đã sẩy miệng. (I apologize for my slip of the tongue.)
- Cô ấy sợ mình sẽ sẩy miệng trong cuộc họp quan trọng. (She is afraid she will make a slip of the tongue during the important meeting.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often implies a minor, unintentional verbal mistake with potentially significant consequences, rather than a major factual error.
- It is commonly used in contexts involving secrets, sensitive information, or social blunders.
Variants and Related Words
- Lỡ lời (verb phrase): to misspeak, to say something unintentionally. This is a close synonym.
- Ông ấy lỡ lời và phải hối hận. (He misspoke and had to regret it.)
Synonyms
- To misspeak: To say something in a way that is not correct or accurate.
- To let slip: To accidentally reveal a piece of information.
- To have a slip of the tongue: The direct equivalent idiom in English.
Related Idioms
- Sẩy chân: to slip with one's foot (to have a physical misstep). This idiom uses the same core verb "sẩy" (to slip/let slip) applied to a physical action, contrasting with the verbal error of "sẩy miệng."
- Cẩn thận kẻo sẩy chân trên cầu thang. (Be careful not to slip on the stairs.)
- Make a slip of the tongue