ướm lòng
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To sound out / to probe: To cautiously and indirectly test or inquire about someone's feelings, intentions, or likely reaction to a proposal or idea.
- To gauge the heart/mind: To make a subtle attempt to understand the inner thoughts or emotional stance of another person.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Cô ấy ướm lòng mẹ xem bà có đồng ý cho chuyến đi không. (She sounded out her mother to see if she would agree to the trip.)
- Anh ấy ướm lòng đối tác trước khi đưa ra đề nghị hợp tác. (He gauged the intentions of his partner before making a cooperation proposal.)
- Tôi định ướm lòng anh ấy về ý tưởng này. (I intend to probe his feelings about this idea.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is often used in contexts involving careful social navigation, where direct questioning might be impolite, risky, or could lead to refusal or conflict. It implies a tentative and diplomatic approach.
Variants and Related Words
- Dò ý (v): to sound out, to feel out. A close synonym with a similar meaning of indirect inquiry.
- Hãy dò ý họ trước đã. (Let's sound them out first.)
- Thăm dò (v): to survey, to probe, to explore. Often used for opinions or intentions in a broader sense.
- Công ty đang thăm dò thị trường. (The company is probing the market.)
Synonyms
- To sound out: To try to discover someone's views or intentions indirectly.
- To probe: To investigate or explore discreetly.
- To test the waters: To try to find out what the situation is like before taking action.
- To gauge intentions: To measure or assess someone's plans or feelings.
Related Idioms
- Ướm lòng ướm ý: An extended form emphasizing the act of probing both the emotional state () and the conscious opinion or idea () of someone.
- Cứ ướm lòng ướm ý mọi người trước đi. (Just sound out everyone's feelings and thoughts first.)