Definition

1. Noun:
   • Name of a playing card: "Bát sách" is the name of a specific card in the Vietnamese deck of playing cards (Tổ tôm or Tam cúc). It typically refers to the "Eight of Strings" or "Eight of Coins" card, depending on the specific game and deck design.
   • A foolish or crazy person (in the compound "gàn bát sách"): When used in the fixed compound "gàn bát sách," it describes a person who is half-witted, foolish, or crazy. Note: This meaning is specific to the compound phrase.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Card name):

  • Trong bài Tổ tôm, bát sách là một quân bài quan trọng. (In the game of Tổ tôm, the "bát sách" is an important card.)
  • Anh ấy đánh con bát sách cuối cùng. (He played the last "bát sách" card.)

• Noun (In the compound "gàn bát sách"):

  • Đừng có nghe lời thằng gàn bát sách ấy. (Don't listen to that crazy/half-witted guy.)
  • Hắn hành động như một kẻ gàn bát sách. (He acts like a foolish/crazy person.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "bát sách" is almost exclusively used in the context of traditional Vietnamese card games or in the fixed derogatory phrase "gàn bát sách". It is not commonly used in modern everyday language outside these contexts.
• The phrase "gàn bát sách" is idiomatic. Its origin likely relates to the idea of someone being as nonsensical or worthless as a low-ranking or specific playing card, but it is now a set phrase meaning "crazy" or "foolish."

Variants and Related Words

• Gàn bát sách (compound noun/adjective): A half-witted, crazy, or foolish person. This is the primary compound where "bát sách" appears with its figurative meaning.
• Tổ tôm, Tam cúc: Names of traditional Vietnamese card games that use decks containing the "bát sách" card.

Synonyms

• For the card name: (No direct synonym, as it is a specific proper noun for a card).
• For "gàn bát sách" (foolish/crazy):
  • Điên (adj/n): Crazy, mad.
  • Khùng (adj): Crazy, daft.
  • Gàn dở (adj): Foolish, silly.
  • Dại dột (adj): Foolish, unwise.

Related Idioms

• Gàn bát sách: This is the key idiom. It functions as a noun phrase ("a crazy person") or an adjective ("crazy").
  • Nó nói chuyện như một kẻ gàn bát sách. (He talks like a crazy person.)
  • Ý tưởng đó nghe thật gàn bát sách. (That idea sounds really crazy/foolish.)

noun

1. Name of a playing-card
   • gàn bát sách
     half-witted, crazy