Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Foul-mouthed / Foul-tongued: Describes a person who habitually speaks in a mean, malicious, hurtful, or sarcastic way. It implies a tendency to use words that are intentionally sharp, critical, or damaging.
   • Having a sharp/cutting tongue: Refers to someone whose speech is consistently harsh, biting, or unkind.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Đừng có ác miệng với người khác như vậy. (Don't be so foul-mouthed towards others like that.)
  • Cô ấy không xấu, chỉ hơi ác miệng thôi. (She's not bad, just a bit sharp-tongued.)
  • Anh ta nổi tiếng là kẻ ác miệng trong công ty. (He is notorious for being foul-tongued in the company.)

Advanced Usage

• The term often carries a connotation of a persistent character trait rather than a single instance of unkind speech. It criticizes the person's habitual manner of speaking.

Variants and Related Words

• Ác khẩu (adj): A direct synonym, also meaning foul-mouthed or having a malicious tongue.
  • Lời ác khẩu có thể gây tổn thương sâu sắc. (Malicious words can cause deep hurt.)
• Độc miệng (adj): Poison-tongued; similar in meaning, emphasizing the harmful, toxic nature of the speech.
  • Bà ta độc miệng lắm, đừng nghe làm gì. (She is very poison-tongued, don't bother listening.)

Synonyms

• Foul-mouthed: Using offensive or abusive language.
• Sharp-tongued: Speaking in a harsh, critical, or sarcastic manner.
• Malicious-tongued: Speaking with intent to harm or hurt.
• Cutting: (of remarks) Intended to hurt someone's feelings.

Related Idioms

• While "ác miệng" itself is an adjective often used in descriptions, it relates to the concept of harmful speech found in idioms.
• Lưỡi không xương nhiều đường lắt léo: (The tongue is boneless but it can twist in many ways.) An idiom about the deceptive and potentially harmful power of speech, which aligns with the concept of being "ác miệng."

adj

1. Foul-mouthed, foul-tongued