Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Unruly / Roguish: Describes a person whose character and behavior are deemed very bad, disgraceful, or contemptible. It implies a lack of decency, honesty, and reliability, often involving boastfulness or deceit.
   • Cynical / Impudent: Suggests a shameless, brazen, or insolent attitude, showing a vulgar disregard for social norms or the truth.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Đừng tin hắn, hắn ba trợn lắm. (Don't believe him, he is very unruly.)
  • Thằng cha ba trợn. (That guy is a shameless rogue.)
  • Ăn nói ba trợn. (To speak in a brazen/cynical manner.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "ba trợn" is considered colloquial and often vulgar. It is used in informal speech to express strong disapproval or contempt for someone's untrustworthy and disreputable character.

Variants and Related Words

• Vô lại (adj/n): Ruffian, rascal. A similar term for a dishonest or mischievous person.
• Láu cá (adj): Sly, cunning. Focuses on deceitful cleverness rather than overall disgraceful behavior.
• Trơ trẽn (adj): Brazen, shameless. Emphasizes impudence without the full connotation of unreliability found in "ba trợn".

Synonyms

• Unscrupulous: Having or showing no moral principles.
• Dishonest: Behaving or prone to behave in an untrustworthy or fraudulent way.
• Shameless: Displaying a lack of modesty or decency.

Related Idioms

• While "ba trợn" itself is not typically part of a longer idiom, it is used in phrases like "đồ ba trợn" (you unruly scoundrel) to directly insult someone's character.

adj

1. Unruly
   • đừng tin hắn, hắn ba trợn lắm
     don't believe him, because he is very unruly