Definition

1. 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.)

verb

1. to tease
   • ghẹo gái
     to flirt girls