cáu kỉnh

Friendly

The Vietnamese word "cáu kỉnh" is both a verb and an adjective that describes someone who is surly or gruff. It typically refers to a bad temper or an irritable demeanor.

Basic Meaning:

• Adjective: It describes a person who is often in a bad mood and tends to speak or act in a harsh or unfriendly way.
• Example: "Nó cáu kỉnh với tất cả mọi người" means "He is surly with everyone," indicating that the person is unfriendly or irritable towards others.

Usage Instructions:

• You can use "cáu kỉnh" to describe someone's attitude or behavior in various situations, particularly when they are upset or annoyed.
• It can also refer to a person's tone of voice, such as "giọng cáu kỉnh," which means "a gruff voice."

Advanced Usage:

• When describing a specific situation, you can say, "Hôm nay tôi cảm thấy cáu kỉnh," meaning "Today I feel grumpy." This shows that the feeling can be temporary.
• You can also use it in a more general sense to describe a person's character over time, for example, "Cô ấy thường cáu kỉnh khi mệt," meaning "She often gets grumpy when she's tired."

Word Variants:

• Cáu: This word can mean "to be angry" or "to be annoyed."
• Kỉnh: This part emphasizes the gruffness or harshness in someone's demeanor.

Different Meanings:

While "cáu kỉnh" primarily conveys the idea of being grumpy or surly, context can affect its meaning. It can sometimes imply a playful annoyance among friends, not just serious anger.

Synonyms:

• Cáu: Angry or annoyed.
• Khó chịu: Unpleasant or uncomfortable.
• Gắt gỏng: Grumpy or irritable.

Academic

verb & adj

1. (To be) surly, (to be) gruff
   • giọng cáu kỉnh
     a gruff voice
   • nó cáu kỉnh với tất cả mọi người
     he is surly with everyone