gian trá
Definition
- Adjective:
- Deceitful and fraudulent: The primary meaning of "gian trá" describes a person, action, or nature characterized by dishonesty, trickery, and the intent to deceive for personal gain.
- Cunning and treacherous: It implies a calculated, sly, and untrustworthy character that uses guile and deception.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Hắn ta là một kẻ gian trá, không ai có thể tin được. (He is a deceitful person; no one can trust him.)
- Những lời hứa gian trá của họ đã bị lộ. (Their fraudulent promises were exposed.)
- Âm mưu gian trá đó đã bị phá vỡ. (That treacherous plot was foiled.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "gian trá" is strong and carries a heavy moral judgment. It is often used in formal or literary contexts to condemn serious dishonesty, rather than casual white lies.
Variants and Related Words
- Gian dối (adj): deceitful, dishonest. (A slightly more common synonym).
- Thái độ gian dối của anh ấy thật đáng ghét. (His dishonest attitude is truly detestable.)
- Lừa đảo (v/n): to swindle, fraud.
- Hành vi lừa đảo bị pháp luật trừng trị. (Swindling behavior is punished by law.)
- Xảo quyệt (adj): crafty, cunning.
- Con cáo xảo quyệt đã lừa được quạ. (The cunning fox tricked the crow.)
Synonyms
- Deceitful: misleading others by falsehood.
- Fraudulent: involving deliberate deception for unfair or illegal gain.
- Treacherous: guilty of betrayal or deception.
- Duplicitous: deceitful in speech or conduct.
Related Idioms
- Gian trá như quỷ: as deceitful as a devil. (Emphasizes extreme cunning and evil trickery).
- Tên buôn lậu đó gian trá như quỷ. (That smuggler is as deceitful as a devil.)
- Mặt người dạ thú: (literally: a human face, a beast's heart). This idiom describes someone who appears kind but is cruel and treacherous inside, closely related to the concept of "gian trá".
- Hắn là kẻ mặt người dạ thú, vô cùng gian trá. (He is a two-faced person, utterly deceitful.)