bò vẽ
Definition
- Noun:
- Hornet: A type of large, stinging wasp, often with a black and yellow body, known for its aggressive behavior and painful sting. This is the primary zoological meaning.
- A bothersome or nagging person: Used figuratively to describe a person who is persistently annoying, critical, or harassing, much like the insect's irritating sting.
Usage Examples
- Noun (Insect):
- Tổ bò vẽ trên cành cây rất nguy hiểm. (The hornet's nest on the tree branch is very dangerous.)
- Anh ấy bị bò vẽ đốt sưng cả tay. (His hand swelled up from a hornet sting.)
- Noun (Figurative):
- Đừng nghe lời anh ta, anh ta chỉ là một con bò vẽ hay gây sự. (Don't listen to him; he's just a nagging person who likes to pick fights.)
- Cô ấy cứ lải nhải như con bò vẽ bên tai. (She keeps droning on like a hornet in my ear.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in similes to emphasize persistent annoyance.
- Làm việc với hắn khổ như bị bò vẽ bu. (Working with him is as miserable as being swarmed by hornets.)
Variants and Related Words
- Ong bò vẽ (n): A full and common variant for "hornet." This is the form referenced in many dictionaries.
- Ong bò vẽ thường làm tổ dưới mái nhà. (Hornets often build nests under roofs.)
Synonyms
- Hornet: A large wasp.
- Nag: A person who annoys by constant fault-finding or complaints.
- Pest: An annoying person or thing.
Related Idioms
- Bò vẽ làm tổ trong nhà: Literally "hornets making a nest in the house," meaning to have a source of constant trouble or conflict within one's own home or group.
- Mời hắn vào đội là rước bò vẽ làm tổ trong nhà đấy. (Inviting him to the team is like letting hornets build a nest in your house.)