bỉ lậu
Definition
- Adjective:
- Rustic, uncouth, coarse: Describes something or someone that is crude, lacking refinement, or showing poor manners, often associated with being backward or unsophisticated.
- Vulgar, lowly: Refers to customs, habits, or behaviors that are considered base, vulgar, or inferior.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Phong tục ở vùng núi hẻo lánh đó bị coi là bỉ lậu. (The customs in that remote mountainous area were considered uncouth.)
- Anh ta có những cử chỉ rất bỉ lậu khi ăn uống. (He has very coarse manners when eating.)
- Lối sống bỉ lậu không còn phù hợp với xã hội hiện đại. (A vulgar lifestyle is no longer suitable for modern society.)
Advanced Usage
- This word is primarily used in formal or literary contexts, often to critique cultural practices, social behaviors, or personal conduct perceived as backward or unrefined. It carries a strong negative connotation.
- It can be used to describe abstract concepts like traditions ( - backward customs) or concrete things like language ( - coarse speech).
Variants and Related Words
- Thô lỗ (adj): Rude, impolite. (Focuses more on impoliteness rather than a lack of sophistication.)
- Thô tục (adj): Vulgar, obscene. (Has a stronger connotation of being offensive or indecent.)
- Quê mùa (adj): Rustic, provincial. (Can be neutral or slightly derogatory, emphasizing a lack of urban polish.)
Synonyms
- Thô kệch: Clumsy, crude (in form or appearance).
- Cộc cằn: Brusque, rough (in manner or speech).
Notes on Meaning
- The word bỉ lậu strongly implies a judgment from a perspective of assumed cultural or social superiority. It is often used in discussions about progress, civilization, and modernity versus tradition.
- It is an archaic-sounding term in modern Vietnamese, so its use is relatively rare in everyday conversation but may appear in analytical, historical, or critical writing.