cứng lưỡi
Definitions
- Adjective:
- Having a stiff tongue; tongue-tied; unable to speak fluently or clearly: Describes a physical or psychological state where the tongue feels stiff or heavy, making speech difficult, often due to nervousness, fear, or a lack of practice.
- Stubborn in speech; obstinate; recalcitrant (in what one says): Describes a person who is unyielding, defiant, or argumentative in their words or opinions, refusing to back down or admit fault.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Khi đứng trước đám đông, tôi thường cứng lưỡi và không nói được gì. (When standing in front of a crowd, I often get tongue-tied and can't say anything.)
- Đứa trẻ đó rất cứng lưỡi, không bao giờ chịu thừa nhận lỗi của mình. (That child is very stubborn/recalcitrant (in speech), never willing to admit their mistake.)
- Anh ấy bị cứng lưỡi vì quá căng thẳng. (He became tongue-tied because he was too stressed.)
Advanced Usage
- "Cứng lưỡi" vs. "Cứng họng": Both can mean being unable to speak back or retort, often due to being proven wrong or caught off guard. "Cứng họng" can imply a more sudden loss for words in an argument.
- Bị thầy giáo chất vấn, nó cứng lưỡi/cứng họng không trả lời được. (When questioned by the teacher, he was speechless/struck dumb and couldn't answer.)
Variants and Related Words
- Cứng (adj): Hard, stiff, rigid. The root word contributing to the metaphorical meaning.
- Cứng đầu (adj): Stubborn, obstinate (generally in behavior/thought). A related term focusing on overall stubbornness rather than specifically in speech.
- Lúng túng (adj): Flustered, embarrassed. Can describe a state that might lead to being "cứng lưỡi".
Synonyms
- Ấp úng (v): To stammer, to stutter. Specifically refers to halting, broken speech.
- Lý sự cùn (v/n): To argue stubbornly with poor reasoning; a stubborn arguer. Implies a defiant and unreasonable stance in speech.
- Bướng bỉnh (adj): Stubborn, obstinate. A general synonym for stubbornness.
Related Idioms/Phrases
- Cứng họng (idiom): To be left speechless; to have nothing to say in response (often in an argument). See comparison in Advanced Usage.
- Bằng chứng rõ ràng khiến hắn cứng họng. (The clear evidence left him speechless.)