thanh nhã

Một phụ nữ mặc chiếc váy thanh nhã ngồi uống trà trong vườn.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Elegant; Refined: Possessing a tasteful, graceful, and sophisticated quality, often implying simplicity and purity of style. It describes something or someone that is aesthetically pleasing in a subtle, not ostentatious, way.
   • Polished; Cultured: Denoting good manners, gentility, and cultivated taste in behavior or appearance.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Cô ấy có phong cách ăn mặc rất thanh nhã. (She has a very elegant style of dress.)
  • Kiến trúc của ngôi nhà cổ này thật thanh nhã. (The architecture of this old house is truly refined.)
  • Một cử chỉ thanh nhã. (A polished gesture.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used to describe abstract qualities like style, taste, demeanor, or artistic expression, rather than physical speed or strength.
• It can be applied to language, implying it is eloquent and well-chosen.
  • Lời văn thanh nhã. (Elegant prose.)

Variants and Related Words

• Thanh tao (adj): Refined, pure, often with a connotation of moral or spiritual elegance.
• Nhã nhặn (adj): Polite, courteous, well-mannered in speech and behavior.

Synonyms

• Elegant: Pleasingly graceful and stylish in appearance or manner.
• Refined: Elegant and cultured in appearance, manner, or taste.
• Graceful: Having or showing grace or elegance.
• Cultivated: Refined and well-educated.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "Vẻ thanh nhã": An elegant appearance/air.
  • Vẻ thanh nhã của một quý bà. (The elegance of a lady.)
• While "thanh nhã" itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, it is a core component in describing refined aesthetics and culture.