cóc vàng
Ông chủ đó là một cóc vàng thực sự; ông ta không bao giờ muốn trả lương cao cho nhân viên.
Definition
- Noun:
- A miser, a skinflint: "cóc vàng" is a vulgar Vietnamese slang term used to describe a person who is extremely stingy, greedy, or miserly, especially with money. It implies someone who hoards wealth and is unwilling to spend it.
- A rich but greedy person: The term can also specifically refer to a person who is wealthy yet remains excessively parsimonious and avaricious.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Ông chủ đó là một cóc vàng thực sự; ông ta không bao giờ muốn trả lương cao cho nhân viên. (That boss is a real miser; he never wants to pay his employees well.)
- Đừng có mà làm cóc vàng, mời bạn bè ăn một bữa đi! (Don't be such a skinflint, treat your friends to a meal!)
Advanced Usage
- The term "cóc vàng" is considered vulgar and informal. It is highly pejorative and should be used with caution, typically only in very casual or humorous contexts among peers. It is not suitable for formal writing or polite conversation.
Variants and Related Words
- Keo kiệt (adj/n): Stingy, miserly. This is a more standard, less vulgar term.
- Anh ta nổi tiếng là keo kiệt. (He is famous for being stingy.)
- Hà tiện (adj): Parsimonious, penny-pinching.
- Bủn xỉn (adj/n): (Colloquial) Mean, tight-fisted.
Synonyms
- Miser: A person who hoards wealth and spends as little as possible.
- Skinflint: A person who is excessively unwilling to spend money.
- Scrooge: (From literature) A miserly person.
- Tightwad: (Informal) A person who is very reluctant to spend money.
Related Idioms
- Giàu nhưng mắc bệnh cóc vàng: Rich but afflicted with miserliness (i.e., a rich miser).
- Có tiền mà sống khổ thế, đúng là giàu nhưng mắc bệnh cóc vàng. (Having money but living so poorly, truly rich but afflicted with miserliness.)