chua cay

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chua cay

Thất bại đó là một bài học chua cay.

Definition
  1. Adjective:
    • Bitter, acrid (in taste): Literally describes a taste that is both sour and pungently spicy, causing a sharp, unpleasant sensation.
    • Bitter, acrimonious, caustic (figurative): Describes words, criticism, emotions, or experiences that are harsh, hurtful, sarcastic, or cause deep emotional pain and resentment.
Usage Examples
  • Literal Taste:
    • Quả này ăn chua cay quá. (This fruit tastes too sour and pungent.)
  • Figurative (Emotions/Criticism):
    • Anh ấy đón nhận thất bại chua cay. (He accepted a bitter failure.)
    • Cô ấy buông lời chua cay. (She uttered caustic words.)
    • Đó là một bài học chua cay. (That was a painful/bitter lesson.)
Advanced Usage
  • "chua cay" as an Adverbial Phrase: Can modify verbs to describe the manner of an action as being bitter or caustic.
    • Chị ấy nói chua cay. (She spoke bitterly.)
  • "nỗi đau chua cay": A bitter/pungent pain (emotional).
    • Anh ta giấu đi nỗi đau chua cay trong lòng. (He hid the bitter pain in his heart.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Chua (adj): Sour (taste); can also mean sour/bitter in attitude.
  • Cay (adj): Spicy, pungent (taste); can also mean bitter, resentful (feeling).
  • Cay đắng (adj): Bitter (primarily figurative for emotions/experiences). Often used interchangeably with in figurative contexts but lacks the literal taste component.
  • Chát (adj): Astringent, bitter (like unripe persimmon). Sometimes combined as "chua chát" for a sour-astringent, resentful feeling.
Synonyms
  • Figurative: Cay đắng (bitter), nhức nhối (aching, poignant), xót xa (poignant, painful), châm biếm (sarcastic), sắc sảo (incisive, sharp).
  • Literal (Taste): The concept is specific; synonyms would describe the separate components: (sour) and (spicy/pungent).
Related Phrases
  • "Giọng điệu chua cay": A caustic/bitter tone of voice.
    • Ông ấy phê bình với giọng điệu chua cay. (He criticized with a caustic tone.)
  • "Nụ cười chua cay": A bitter/wry smile.
    • Cô ấy đáp lại bằng một nụ cười chua cay. (She responded with a bitter smile.)
Related Idioms
  • "Chua ngoa, cay độc": Describes a person whose speech is both sour-tongued and venomously spiteful. This idiom intensifies the negative character trait.
    • Bà ta nổi tiếng là người chua ngoa, cay độc. (She is notorious for being sharp-tongued and malicious.)
  • "Ngậm đắng nuốt cay": To "hold the bitter, swallow the spicy." Means to endure hardship, humiliation, or bitterness in silence.
    • Suốt bao năm, ông ấy ngậm đắng nuốt cay để nuôi con. (For many years, he endured bitterness in silence to raise his children.)
chua cay

Thất bại đó là một bài học chua cay.

adj
  1. Bitter
    • những thất bại chua cay
      bitter failures
    • lời châm biếm chua cay
      bitter sarcasms