thầm

Vietnamese

Etymology

(Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?) Probably Sino-Vietnamese word from 忱 (“sincere”). Its meaning presumedly developed at the time of conflicts, when intelligence was needed, hence the concept nowadays.

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [tʰəm˨˩]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [tʰəm˦˩]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [tʰəm˨˩]

Adverb

thầm • (𱓓, 𱟃)

1. (literal) in a whispery, breathy, or hushed voice

   nói thầm ― to whisper

2. (by extension, of one's thinking) in secret; secretly

   thầm nghĩ/nghĩ thầm ― to think only in your head

   thầm mong ― to secretly wish

   thầm/trộm nhớ ― to secretly miss

   • (Can we date this quote?), “Vẫn tin mình có nhau [Still Think We've Got Each Other]”:

     Ngại ngùng người không nói ra, em chẳng thể nào hay biết.
     Lập lờ như giấc mơ, chỉ thầm vui lúc anh bên em.

     You're so shy, you haven't said it, I don't know how you really feel,
     Everything's cloudy like a dream, the only time I'm happy for real is when you're with me.

See also

Derived terms

• thầm kín
• thầm lặng
• thầm thì
• thì thầm