chắc mỏm

chắc mỏm

Anh ta chắc mỏm là sẽ thắng giải nhất.

Definition

1. Verb (colloquial, often used in Northern Vietnam): - To be overly confident or to have an unfounded certainty; to be under the illusion that something will happen. It describes a state of being mistakenly sure about a positive outcome, often without sufficient basis. The word carries a nuance of criticism towards the subject's naive or arrogant overconfidence.

Usage Examples
  • Verb:
    • Nó chắc mỏm là sẽ đỗ. (He is under the illusion that he will pass the exam.)
    • Đừng có chắc mỏm như vậy, mọi chuyện có thể thay đổi. (Don't be so overly confident like that; things can change.)
    • Cô ấy chắc mỏm rằng đề án của mình sẽ được chấp nhận ngay lập tức. (She is mistakenly certain that her proposal will be accepted immediately.)
Advanced Usage Notes
  • Tone and Context: "Chắc mỏm" is an informal, colloquial term. It is often used in spoken language and can carry a slightly mocking or critical tone towards the subject's unfounded optimism. It is not used in formal writing.
  • Grammatical Structure: It is typically followed by a clause introduced by "là", "rằng" (that), or sometimes directly by a verb phrase, to state what the person is illusiory about.
Variants and Related Words
  • Ảo tưởng (verb/noun): To hallucinate / illusion. This is a more standard, less colloquial term for having an illusion or false belief.
    • Anh ta đang ảo tưởng về khả năng của mình. (He is delusional about his own abilities.)
  • Tự tin thái quá (phrase): Overly confident. This is a descriptive phrase rather than a fixed colloquial term.
Synonyms
  • Ảo tưởng: to be delusional, to have an illusion.
  • Quá tự tin: overconfident.
  • Tin chắc một cách mù quáng: to believe blindly/certainly.
Related Idioms and Expressions
  • "Chắc như bắp": As sure as corn (i.e., very sure). This idiom expresses high certainty but does not inherently carry the negative, illusory connotation of "chắc mỏm." It can be used genuinely or sarcastically.
    • Nó tuyên bố chắc như bắp là sẽ thắng. (He declared as sure as corn that he would win.)
  • "Ảo tưởng sức mạnh": Delusion of grandeur. This is a stronger, more clinical phrase for a serious illusion of one's importance or power.