biết mặt không biết tên
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Known by face, not by name — acquaintance at half resolution.
Literally: know the face, not the name
Sources & notes
Discovered via Nam ngạn chích cẩm (Phạm Quang Sán, 1918; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Nam ngạn chích cẩm (Phạm Quang Sán, 1918). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.
Common questions
What does “biết mặt không biết tên” mean?
Known by face, not by name — acquaintance at half resolution. Literally: know the face, not the name
Is “biết mặt không biết tên” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.