bợm già
Definition
- Noun:
- A cunning old fox, a wily old hand: Refers to an experienced, shrewd, and often sly person, typically older, who is skilled in a particular (often dubious) area. It implies deep, often street-smart, experience.
- An old addict, a seasoned habitué: Can refer specifically to someone with a long-standing, ingrained habit, especially related to vices like drinking, gambling, or drug use.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Hắn là một tay bợm già trong nghề cờ bạc. (He is a wily old hand in the gambling trade.)
- Đừng hòng lừa được hắn, hắn là bợm già rồi. (Don't expect to fool him; he's a cunning old fox.)
- Mấy bợm già rượu thường tụ tập ở quán nhỏ cuối ngõ. (The old alcoholics often gather at the small shop at the end of the alley.)
Advanced Usage
- The term often carries a slightly negative or cautionary connotation, highlighting experience gained through morally ambiguous or vice-related activities.
- It is frequently used in proverbs and folk sayings to illustrate the irony of experience leading to overconfidence and downfall.
Variants and Related Words
- Bợm (n): A slang term for a person deeply engrossed in a habit or vice; a devotee, addict, or connoisseur (often negative). (drunkard), (gambling addict).
- Già (adj): Old, aged, experienced.
- Lão làng (n): A veteran, an old hand (generally more neutral or positive than ).
Synonyms
- Lão luyện: Seasoned, veteran, highly experienced (can be positive or negative).
- Già đời: Old-timer, very experienced (often in a craft or trade).
- Cáo già: Old fox (direct synonym emphasizing cunning).
Related Idioms
- Bợm già mắc bẫy cò ke: A proverb meaning "the old addict gets caught in a simple trap" or "the biter bit." It illustrates that even the most experienced and cunning person can be tripped up by overconfidence or a seemingly simple scheme.
- Câu chuyện ấy minh họa cho câu tục ngữ "bợm già mắc bẫy cò ke". (That story illustrates the proverb "the old fox is caught by a simple snare.")