Definition

1. Verb:
   • To contrive (unnecessary things), to conceive (impractical things), to go to unnecessary lengths: Refers to the act of creating or introducing unnecessary, complicated, or impractical elements, often making a situation more difficult or adding pointless work.
   • To show, to instruct, to demonstrate: Refers to the act of showing or teaching someone how to do something, often in a detailed or instructive manner.

Usage Examples

• Verb (To contrive):
  • Đừng có bày vẽ thêm cho phức tạp. (Don't go to unnecessary lengths and make it more complicated.)
  • Anh ta cứ thích bày vẽ ra đủ thứ quy trình không cần thiết. (He always likes to contrive all sorts of unnecessary procedures.)
• Verb (To show):
  • Bố mẹ bày vẽ cho con cái cách sống tự lập. (Parents show their children how to live independently.)
  • Ông ấy bày vẽ cho tôi cách sửa cái xe đạp này. (He showed me how to fix this bicycle.)

Advanced Usage

• "bày vẽ ra": to contrive, to come up with (often unnecessary things).
  • Cô ấy lúc nào cũng bày vẽ ra đủ thứ việc để làm. (She always contrives all sorts of things to do.)
• "bày vẽ lắm trò": to conceive of many tricks/schemes, to be full of ideas (often with a negative connotation of being fussy or creating trouble).
  • Đứa trẻ đó bày vẽ lắm trò khiến ai cũng mệt. (That child conceives of so many schemes that everyone gets tired.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bày (verb): to arrange, to display, to set out.
  • Bày bàn ăn (to set the table).
• Vẽ (verb): to draw, to paint.
  • Vẽ tranh (to draw a picture).
• Bày biện (verb): to arrange, to set out (e.g., furniture, items). This word does not carry the negative connotation of unnecessary complication found in "bày vẽ".
  • Bày biện nhà cửa (to arrange the house).

Synonyms

• Làm phức tạp hóa: to complicate.
• Nghĩ ra (những việc không cần thiết): to think up (unnecessary things).
• Chỉ bảo: to instruct, to show (for the "to show" meaning).
• Hướng dẫn: to guide, to instruct (for the "to show" meaning).

Related Phrases

• Bày vẽ chuyện: to stir up trouble, to create unnecessary stories/issues.
  • Nó thích bày vẽ chuyện để gây mâu thuẫn. (He likes to stir up trouble to create conflict.)
• Bày vẽ kiểu cách: to act in an affected or pretentious manner.
  • Cô ấy bày vẽ kiểu cách quá, trông thật giả tạo. (She acts in such an affected manner, it looks so fake.)

Related Idioms

• Bày mưu tính kế: to plot and scheme (This idiom is stronger and more about cunning plans than unnecessary fuss).
  • Hắn ta ngồi đó bày mưu tính kế để hại người. (He sat there plotting and scheming to harm others.)
• Vẽ chuyện: to make up a story, to fabricate.
  • Đừng có vẽ chuyện! Mọi việc đơn giản thế thôi. (Don't make up a story! Everything is that simple.)

verb

1. To contrive (unnecessary things), to conceive (impractical things), to go to unnecessary lengths
   • bày vẽ ra cho thêm việc
     to add to the work by contriving unnecessary jobs
   • bày vẽ thật lắm trò
     to conceive all kinds of things to do
2. To show
   • bày vẽ cách làm ăn
     to show how to do something, to show how to earn a living