so of

[jiang]

Dear teachers,

It smells so of onions.
I know it means "It sends out smell of onions". My question is “Is 'so of' a phrase”?

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.

Jiang

[Raymott]

Dear teachers,

It smells so of onions.
I know it means "It sends out smell of onions". My question is “Is 'so of' a phrase”?

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.

Jiang

It's not common. You might hear/see it, but I've never used it, and you don't have to either.
"So" is just an intensifier here. "It smells so [much] of onions."

This is probably not an example, but I believe American teenagers are beginning to use "so" in hitherto ungrammatical ways. So you'll probably have to get used to that too.
It so makes me wonder where English is heading! (sic)

[Barb_D]

"So" has definitely taken on new meanings, and not just with teenagers.

You SO did not say that! (I can't believe you said that!)
You are SO going to that party! (I will be completely disappointed if you don't go to that party.)
I am so not going to finish in time. (I will not even be close to finishing by the deadline.)