ghẹo
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To tease: To playfully provoke, annoy, or make fun of someone in a light-hearted, non-malicious manner, often to elicit a reaction.
- To flirt with / to chat up: Specifically, to use playful words, gestures, or light banter to engage someone's romantic or playful interest, typically directed towards a woman.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Đừng ghẹo em nó nữa, nó sắp khóc đấy. (Stop teasing him/her; he/she is about to cry.)
- Anh chàng đó đang ghẹo các cô gái ở quán cà phê. (That guy is flirting with the girls at the coffee shop.)
- Bọn trẻ thích ghẹo nhau. (The children like to tease each other.)
Advanced Usage
- "ghẹo gái": A common compound phrase meaning "to flirt with girls" or "to chat up women." It specifically denotes the action of a man playfully engaging with women.
- Anh ấy ra ngoài chỉ để ghẹo gái. (He goes out just to flirt with girls.)
Variants and Related Words
Trêu (v): A close synonym meaning "to tease" or "to joke with." It is often interchangeable with "ghẹo" in the context of playful teasing.
- Nó thích trêu chó của hàng xóm. (He likes to tease the neighbor's dog.)
Chọc (v): Can mean "to poke" or "to provoke." It can be similar to "ghẹo" but may carry a slightly more pointed or annoying connotation.
- Đừng chọc bạn khi bạn ấy đang bận. (Don't tease your friend when he/she is busy.)
Synonyms
- Tease: To make fun of or provoke playfully.
- Flirt: To behave playfully in a romantic way.
- Banter: To exchange light, playful, teasing remarks.
Related Idioms
- Ghẹo hoa bẻ cành: An idiom implying reckless or disrespectful flirtation, literally "to tease the flower and break the branch." It suggests flirtatious behavior that goes too far or is inconsiderate.
- Anh ta có tiếng là ghẹo hoa bẻ cành. (He has a reputation for being a reckless flirt.)