Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Stingy / Miserly: Describes a person who is excessively unwilling to spend money or use resources, often to an extreme or contemptible degree. It implies pettiness and a focus on saving trivial amounts.
   • Meager / Paltry: Can describe something provided in a stingy, inadequate, or contemptibly small quantity.

2. Verb (to act stingily):

   • To skimp / To pinch pennies: To be excessively frugal or parsimonious, especially in a way that is noticeable and negative.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Ông chủ đó nổi tiếng là người co cỏm. (That boss is famous for being stingy.)
  • Phần thưởng co cỏm đó không xứng đáng với công sức của họ. (That paltry reward is not worthy of their effort.)

• Verb:

  • Bà ta co cỏm từng đồng một. (She pinches every single penny.)

Advanced Usage

• The word often carries a strong negative connotation of pettiness and is more severe than simply being frugal or economical.
• It can be used in its reduplicated form "co co cỏm cỏm" for added emphasis, intensifying the meaning of being extremely and overtly stingy.

Variants and Related Words

• Hà tiện (adj): Stingy, miserly. (A close synonym, but "co cỏm" can sound more colloquial and descriptive of the behavior.)
• Keo kiệt (adj): Parsimonious, tight-fisted. (Another strong synonym for stinginess.)
• Bủn xỉn (adj): Mean, stingy. (Similar in meaning and colloquial tone.)

Synonyms

• Stingy: Unwilling to give or spend.
• Miserly: Like a miser; hoarding wealth.
• Parsimonious: Excessively sparing or frugal.
• Penny-pinching: Unwilling to spend money.
• Niggardly: Grudgingly mean about spending or granting.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Co cỏm từng xu: To skimp on every cent. This phrase emphasizes the action of being stingy with even the smallest unit of money.
  • Không nên co cỏm từng xu khi đầu tư cho sức khỏe. (One should not skimp on every cent when investing in health.)