ăn đèn
Definition
- Verb phrase (idiomatic):
- To look more beautiful under lamplight: Describes a person, typically a woman, whose beauty is enhanced or becomes more apparent in the soft, warm light of a lamp, as opposed to harsh daylight. It implies a radiant, flattering quality that is revealed in specific lighting.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Cô ấy thuộc tuýp người ăn đèn, trông rất lộng lẫy trong bữa tiệc tối. (She is the type who looks more beautiful under lamplight, appearing very gorgeous at the evening party.)
- Ánh đèn vàng khiến cô ấy thực sự ăn đèn. (The yellow lamp light makes her truly look more beautiful.)
Advanced Usage
- This phrase is often used in descriptive or complimentary contexts about appearance, particularly in literature, poetry, or when commenting on someone's photogenic quality in warm, artificial light.
- It can sometimes imply a romantic or nostalgic aesthetic associated with traditional evening settings lit by lamps.
Variants and Related Words
- Ăn ảnh (verb phrase): To be photogenic; to look good in photographs.
- Cậu bé rất ăn ảnh. (The boy is very photogenic.)
Synonyms
- To be flattered by lamplight: A direct descriptive synonym.
- To glow in the soft light: A more general phrase describing a similar effect.
Notes on Meaning
- The phrase is poetic and somewhat old-fashioned, evoking a time before electric lighting. It refers specifically to the light from oil lamps or similar sources, not modern fluorescent or LED lights.
- It does not refer to literally consuming or "eating" a lamp. The verb "ăn" here is used idiomatically to mean "to benefit from" or "to be enhanced by."