đen bạc
Definition
- Adjective:
- Ungrateful, thankless: Describes a person who does not show gratitude or who repays kindness with bad behavior. It implies a lack of loyalty and a betrayal of trust, often in personal relationships.
- Unlucky, unfortunate (in gambling contexts): Literally means "black and silver," which can metaphorically refer to bad luck, especially in games of chance. However, the primary and more common meaning is the moral character trait of ingratitude.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Anh ta thật là đen bạc, tôi đã giúp đỡ nhiều mà giờ anh ta quay lưng lại. (He is truly ungrateful; I helped him a lot, and now he turns his back on me.)
- Ăn ở đen bạc với người đã cưu mang mình là điều tệ hại. (To behave ungratefully towards one's benefactor is a terrible thing.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase "ăn ở đen bạc" is a fixed idiom meaning "to live/behave ungratefully." It strongly emphasizes a betrayal of moral debt and kindness received.
- Sau tất cả, hắn lại ăn ở đen bạc với chính người đã nuôi nấng mình. (After all, he behaved ungratefully towards the very person who raised him.)
Variants and Related Words
- Bạc bẽo (adj): Ungrateful, fickle, inconstant (in affection or loyalty). A close synonym.
- Tình cảm bạc bẽo. (Fickle affection.)
- Phụ bạc (v): To betray, to be unfaithful (often in love or deep commitments).
- Phụ bạc lời thề. (To break a vow.)
- Vô ơn (adj): Ungrateful. A more direct and common synonym for lacking gratitude.
- Đứa con vô ơn. (An ungrateful child.)
Synonyms
- Ungrateful: Not feeling or showing gratitude.
- Thankless: (Of a job or task) not appreciated or rewarded; (of a person) ungrateful.
- Unappreciative: Not fully understanding or recognizing the value of something.
Related Idioms
- "Đen bạc" itself is often used within the idiom "ăn ở đen bạc" as described above.
- "Ở đen bạc" can sometimes be used independently with the same meaning.
- Nó ở đen bạc lắm, đừng tin. (He is very ungrateful, don't trust him.)
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Ungrateful
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Ăn ở đen bạcTo behave ungratefully
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