Definition

1. Verb:
   • To argue, to dispute: To use words to oppose or refute another person's opinion, aiming to defend one's own opinion or actions. This often involves verbal disagreement and can be heated.
   • To defend, to advocate for: To speak in defense of someone, especially in a legal context; to act as a lawyer or advocate for a client.

Usage Examples

• Verb (To argue):
  • Anh ấy luôn cãi lại lời cha mẹ. (He always argues back with his parents.)
  • Hai đứa trẻ cãi nhau về quyền sở hữu món đồ chơi. (The two children argued with each other over ownership of the toy.)
• Verb (To defend):
  • Luật sư cãi rất hùng hồn cho thân chủ của mình. (The lawyer defended his client very eloquently.)

Advanced Usage

• "cãi chày cãi cối": To argue stubbornly and illogically; to persist in arguing without valid reasoning.
  • Anh ta cãi chày cãi cối dù đã bị chứng minh là sai. (He argued stubbornly even after being proven wrong.)
• "cãi lý": To argue over principles or logic; to engage in a debate of wits.
  • Đừng cãi lý với anh ta, anh ta luôn cho mình là đúng. (Don't argue logically with him; he always thinks he's right.)
• "cãi vã": To have a quarrel, a noisy argument. (Note: This is a compound word listed here as it is a common fixed phrase).
  • Tiếng cãi vã từ phòng bên cạnh vọng ra. (The sound of quarreling came from the next room.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cãi lại (phrasal verb): To argue back, to retort.
  • Cô bé không dám cãi lại thầy giáo. (The little girl didn't dare talk back to the teacher.)
• Cãi cọ (verb, compound): To bicker, to squabble (often over trivial matters).
  • Họ thường xuyên cãi cọ về chuyện tiền nong. (They often bicker about money matters.)
• Biện hộ (verb): To defend, to plead (a more formal synonym, often legal).
• Tranh cãi (verb/noun, compound): To debate, to dispute; a controversy.
  • Vấn đề này đang gây tranh cãi trong giới học thuật. (This issue is causing controversy in academic circles.)

Synonyms

• Tranh luận: To debate, to discuss (often more formal and less confrontational than ).
• Phản bác: To refute, to rebut (focuses on countering an argument).
• Chống chế: To make excuses, to justify oneself defensively.

Related Idioms

• "Cãi như chày cối": To argue like a pestle and mortar (i.e., to argue incessantly and pointlessly). This idiom emphasizes the repetitive, grinding nature of a stubborn argument.
  • Mỗi lần thảo luận là hai anh em lại cãi như chày cối. (Every time they discuss something, the two brothers argue incessantly.)
• "Cãi nhau như mổ bò": To argue fiercely (literally: to argue like butchering a cow). This idiom describes a very loud, intense, and chaotic argument.
  • Hàng xóm cãi nhau như mổ bò làm cả xóm thức giấc. (The neighbors argued fiercely, waking up the whole neighborhood.)

verb

1. To argue
   • đã làm sai, người ta chỉ bảo cho còn cãi
     after being shown what was wrong with his behaviour, he still argued
   • cãi nhau suốt buổi sáng mà chưa ngã ngũ
     they argued inconclusively the whole morning
2. To defend, to act as advocate for
   • luật sư cố cãi cho trắng án
     the lawyer did his best to defend his client and clear him of all charges
   • cãi chày cãi cối
     to reason in a circle, to persist in advancing chicaneries