Definition

1. Verb:
   • To provoke, to irritate, to annoy: "chọc gan" means to deliberately say or do something to make someone angry or upset. It implies an action intended to get a strong, negative emotional reaction, often by targeting what the person cares about or finds sensitive.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Đừng chọc gan anh ấy nữa, anh ấy sắp nổi điên rồi. (Stop provoking him, he's about to get really angry.)
  • Mấy câu nói đó của cô ta chỉ để chọc gan tôi thôi. (Those remarks of hers were just meant to annoy me.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is often used to describe persistent, teasing, or needling behavior that is known to upset someone. It carries a stronger connotation than simply teasing ("trêu chọc") and is closer to "getting on someone's nerves" with malicious or careless intent.

Variants and Related Words

• Chọc tức (verb): to provoke, to irritate. A very close synonym.
• Chọc giận (verb): to make angry, to provoke to anger.
• Trêu chọc (verb): to tease, to kid. This is generally lighter and less malicious than "chọc gan".

Synonyms

• Khiêu khích: to provoke, to challenge (often in a more confrontational or aggressive context).
• Làm phát cáu: to make (someone) flare up in anger.
• Làm tức giận: to make angry.

Related Idioms

• Chọc gậy bánh xe: Literally "to poke a stick into the wheel spokes". This idiom means to deliberately cause trouble or sabotage, which is related to the provocative nature of "chọc gan".