Definition

1. Adjective:
   • In a state of confusion, disorder, or mess: "bê bối" describes a situation that is chaotic, disorganized, or tangled, often causing stress or difficulty.
   • Scandalous, involving disgrace or shame: "bê bối" can also refer to a situation or affair that is morally questionable, embarrassing, or involves wrongdoing that becomes public.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Công việc dồn lại khiến mọi thứ thật bê bối. (Work piled up, making everything a real mess.)
  • Vụ bê bối tài chính đó đã làm rung chuyển cả công ty. (That financial scandal shook the entire company.)
  • Phòng ngủ của cậu ấy lúc nào cũng bê bối. (His bedroom is always in a state of disorder.)

Advanced Usage

• "bê bối trăm công nghìn việc": to be overwhelmed/swamped with a thousand tasks; to be in a pother because of an immense workload.

  • Mùa cao điểm, ai cũng bê bối trăm công nghìn việc. (During the peak season, everyone is swamped with a thousand tasks.)

• "hoàn cảnh gia đình bê bối": to be in a pother/tangled up because of family affairs; a messy or complicated family situation.

  • Cô ấy không muốn nói về hoàn cảnh gia đình bê bối của mình. (She doesn't want to talk about her messy family situation.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bê bết (adj): Often describes something being in a very wet, dirty, or messy state (e.g., covered in mud). It can sometimes overlap with the chaotic sense of "bê bối" but is more physical.

  • Sau trận mưa, đường phố bê bết bùn. (After the rain, the streets were a mess of mud.)

• Vụ bê bối (noun phrase): A scandal, a scandalous affair.

  • Vụ bê bối chính trị đó được báo chí đưa tin suốt tuần. (That political scandal was covered by the press all week.)

Synonyms

• Hỗn độn (adj): Chaotic, disorderly.
• Rối ren (adj): Tangled, complicated, messy (often for situations).
• Xì-căng-đan (n, from "scandal"): Scandal (used as a noun).

Related Idioms/Phrases

• (Một) mớ bê bối: A complete mess; a tangled web (of issues).
  • Dự án đó giờ chỉ là một mớ bê bối. (That project is now just a complete mess.)
• Vướng vào bê bối: To get involved in a scandal/messy situation.
  • Ngôi sao đó vừa vướng vào một bê bối tình ái. (That star just got involved in a romantic scandal.)

adj

1. In a pother, in a stew
   • bê bối trăm công nghìn việc
     to be in a pother because of great pressure of work
   • hoàn cảnh gia đình bê bối
     to be in a pother because of family affairs