Definition

Adjective: - Silly; foolish; stupid: Describes a person, action, or statement that lacks common sense, intelligence, or judgment; showing a lack of awareness or understanding. - Cretinous; idiotic: A stronger, more derogatory term implying profound stupidity or foolishness, often perceived as innate or glaringly obvious.

Usage

• Used as a predicate adjective following the verb "là" (to be) or directly after a noun.
• Often used in informal or colloquial contexts (khẩu ngữ). It carries a negative, sometimes harsh, connotation.
• Can describe temporary behavior or a more inherent characteristic.

Examples

• Describing a person:
  • Anh ta trông thật dớ dẩn trong bộ đồ đó. (He looks really silly in that outfit.)
  • Đừng có dớ dẩn! (Don't be stupid!)
• Describing an action or statement:
  • Đó là một hành động dớ dẩn. (That was a foolish action.)
  • Câu hỏi dớ dẩn sẽ nhận được câu trả lời dớ dẩn. (A stupid question will get a stupid answer.)

Advanced Usage

• "Làm ra bộ dớ dẩn": To act stupid/foolish (on purpose); to play the fool.
  • Nó đang làm ra bộ dớ dẩn để tránh bị phạt. (He's acting stupid to avoid punishment.)
• The reduplicative form "dớ da dớ dẩn" intensifies the meaning, emphasizing a greater degree of foolishness or a state of being thoroughly confused and silly.
  • Cứ dớ da dớ dẩn thế thì làm được gì? (Being all confused and foolish like that, what can you accomplish?)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngớ ngẩn (adj): Silly, daft, scatterbrained. Very close in meaning, slightly less harsh.
• Ngờ nghệch (adj): Simple-minded, naive, gullible. Emphasizes a lack of worldly experience.
• Ngu ngốc (adj): Stupid, idiotic. Generally stronger and more direct than "dớ dẩn".
• Khờ dại (adj): Foolish, simple. Can imply a harmless, innocent kind of foolishness.

Synonyms

• Ngu xuẩn (adj): Stupid, imbecilic.
• Đần độn (adj): Feeble-minded, dull.
• Ngu si (adj): Idiotic, moronic.

Notes on Meaning

• The core meaning revolves around a lack of intelligence or sensible judgment.
• The tone is informal and critical. It is not a polite word.
• The strength can range from mild teasing ("silly") to strong insult ("cretinous"), depending on context and delivery.

adj

1. silly; cretinous