giăng hoa

Definition

1. Verb (dialectal, archaic):
   • To be promiscuous; to be unfaithful in marriage; to engage in extramarital affairs. This is a dialectal and now largely archaic term directly equated with the modern Vietnamese word "trăng hoa." It carries a strong negative moral judgment, primarily used to describe a married person's sexual infidelity.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Người ta đồn rằng ông ấy đã giăng hoa. (People rumored that he was promiscuous.)
  • Trong xã hội xưa, một người vợ bị coi là giăng hoa sẽ chịu hậu quả nặng nề. (In old society, a wife considered unfaithful would face severe consequences.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is a direct dialectal variant. In modern standard Vietnamese, the term "trăng hoa" is exclusively used. "Giăng hoa" appears primarily in older texts or specific regional dialects.

Variants and Related Words

• Trăng hoa (v): to be promiscuous, to philander. This is the standard modern form.
  • Lời đồn anh ta trăng hoa có thật không? (Is the rumor of his philandering true?)

Synonyms

• To be unfaithful: to break vows of marital fidelity.
• To philander: (especially of a man) to have many casual sexual relationships.
• To be promiscuous: to have many sexual partners.

Related Idioms

• Ăn vụng trăng hoa: to have a secret illicit affair.
  • Hắn bị bắt quả tang ăn vụng trăng hoa. (He was caught red-handed having a secret affair.)