Definition

1. Noun:

   • A grating laugh: A laugh that is harsh, scornful, or mocking in tone, often expressing contempt or derision.

2. Verb phrase (to laugh scornfully):

   • To sneer / to laugh derisively: The act of laughing in a way that shows you think someone or something is stupid or inferior.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Tiếng cười ngạo của hắn vang lên đầy khinh bỉ. (His grating laugh rang out, full of contempt.)
  • Tôi không thể chịu được cái cười ngạo đó. (I can't stand that scornful laugh.)

• Verb sense:

  • Hắn chỉ biết cười ngạo trước những lời đề nghị của chúng tôi. (He could only sneer at our proposals.)
  • Đừng cười ngạo người khác như vậy. (Don't laugh derisively at others like that.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase often implies a sense of superiority and deliberate disrespect. It is more intense than a simple mocking laugh ("cười chê") and carries a connotation of arrogance.

Variants and Related Words

• Cười nhạo (v): to mock, to ridicule with laughter. This is a close synonym but can sometimes be less focused on the arrogant tone than "cười ngạo."
• Cười khinh (v): to laugh scornfully, to laugh with disdain. Similar in meaning, emphasizing contempt.

Synonyms

• Sneer: A contemptuous or mocking smile, remark, or tone.
• Derisive laugh: A laugh showing ridicule or mockery.
• Scornful laugh: A laugh expressing contempt or disdain.

Related Idioms

• While "cười ngạo" itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, it describes the tone found in expressions of triumph over others' misfortune, such as:
  • Cười người hôm trước hôm sau người cười. (He who laughs at others today may be laughed at tomorrow.)

noun

1. Grating laugh