Definition

1. Noun:

   • Pebble; large gravel: A small, rounded stone, often larger than ordinary gravel, used for paving paths or in landscaping.
   • A legendary figure: Refers to the character "Chú Cuội" in Vietnamese folklore, a woodcutter who lies and is banished to live on the moon under a banyan tree.
   • (By extension) A liar; a person who tells tall tales: Derived from the folkloric character, used to describe someone who habitually tells lies or unbelievable stories.

2. Adverb:

   • Nonsense; humbug; falsely: Used to describe speech or information that is untrue, fabricated, or nonsensical.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Pebble):
  • Lối đi trong vườn được rải cuội. (The garden path was paved with pebbles.)
• Noun (Legendary figure):
  • Trên mặt trăng có chú Cuội ngồi gốc đa. (On the moon, there is Uncle Cuội sitting under a banyan tree.)
• Noun (Liar):
  • Đừng tin nó, nó là thằng cuội. (Don't believe him, he's a liar.)
• Adverb:
  • Nó toàn nói cuội, đừng nghe. (He just talks nonsense, don't listen.)
  • Câu chuyện đó nghe cuội quá. (That story sounds like pure humbug.)

Advanced Usage

• "Nói dối như Cuội": An idiom meaning "to lie like Cuội" or "to be a pathological liar," directly referencing the folk tale.
  • Đứa bé đó nói dối như Cuội. (That child lies like Cuội.)

Variants and Related Words

• Chú Cuội (n): The specific name for the legendary figure "Uncle Cuội" on the moon.
• Đá cuội (n): A more specific term for river pebbles or rounded stones.

Synonyms

• Pebble: stone, gravel.
• Liar: fabricator, storyteller (in the deceptive sense).
• Nonsense: rubbish, baloney, hogwash.

Related Idioms

• Nói dối như Cuội: To lie habitually and outrageously.
  • Hắn ta nói dối như Cuội, chẳng ai tin lời hắn nữa. (He lies like Cuội, no one believes him anymore.)
• Tin Cuội: To believe a blatant lie (often used rhetorically or sarcastically).
  • Câu chuyện đó mà tin được thì tin Cuội đi. (If you can believe that story, you'll believe anything.)

noun

1. pebble

adv

1. Nonsense; humbug
   • nói nhăng nói cuội
     to talk nonsense