Definition

1. Verb:
   • To growl: To make a low, rough, and threatening sound in the throat, typically done by an animal such as a dog when it is angry or aggressive and about to fight.
   • To snarl at each other / to bicker: (Colloquial) Used figuratively to describe people who are in a bad mood, arguing in a low, irritated, and confrontational manner, as if on the verge of a quarrel.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Con chó gầm gừ khi thấy người lạ. (The dog growled when it saw a stranger.)
  • Hai đồng nghiệp gầm gừ nhau về vấn đề phân công công việc. (The two colleagues snarled at each other over the issue of work assignment.)

Advanced Usage

• The word is often used with the reciprocal pronoun "nhau" (each other) to describe mutual hostility or bickering.
  • Họ ngồi im nhưng vẫn gầm gừ trong lòng. (They sat silently but were still growling inwardly.)

Variants and Related Words

• Gầm (v): To roar (used for larger animals like tigers, or for thunder).
  • Sư tử gầm lên. (The lion roared.)
• Gừ (v): A component reinforcing the low, threatening quality of the sound; rarely used alone.

Synonyms

• Growl: To make a deep, threatening sound.
• Snarl: To make an aggressive growl with bared teeth.
• Grumble: To complain in a low, bad-tempered way (for the figurative human usage).

Related Idioms

• Mặt gầm gừ: To have a scowling or grimacing face, showing irritation or anger.
  • Anh ấy bước vào với bộ mặt gầm gừ. (He walked in with a scowling face.)

1. Snort (of dogs about to fight).
2. (thông tục) have one's hackles up
   • Hai thằng bé gầm gừ nhau suốt ngày
     The two little boys faced each other with their hackles up the whole day