Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Nice (in a sarcastic or negative sense): Used to describe something or someone that is supposedly nice, good, or proper, but with an ironic, mocking, or disapproving tone. It often implies the opposite or suggests the quality is superficial, excessive, or pretentious.

Usage

• The word hay hớm is primarily used in spoken Vietnamese to express sarcasm, irony, or criticism. It is not used for genuine praise. It often follows a description of an action or behavior.
• It can be used on its own as an exclamation or follow a noun/verb phrase.
• Tone: The tone is crucial. When spoken, it carries a sarcastic inflection.

Usage Examples

• As an adjective:
  • Anh ta tự nhận mình là người hay hớm lắm. (He considers himself a very nice person. [Implying he is not, or is arrogant])
  • Cô ấy ăn mặc hay hớm quá! (She dresses so nicely! [Implying it's overly flashy or inappropriate])
  • "Tôi sẽ sửa cái máy này cho." – "Ờ, hay hớm!" ("I'll fix this machine." – "Yeah, that's nice!" [Expressing doubt or disbelief])

Advanced Usage

• "hay hớm lắm": Very "nice" (used for added emphasis in sarcasm).
  • Bài thuyết trình của nó hay hớm lắm đấy. (His presentation was really something special. [Implying it was bad or unimpressive])
• "được cái hay hớm": To have the "quality" of being "nice" (a fixed, ironic phrase).
  • Nó được cái hay hớm là lúc nào cũng đến muộn. (His great quality is that he's always late.)

Variants and Related Words

• Hay ho (adj): Similar to hay hớm, meaning "fine" or "great" in a sarcastic or belittling way. It can sometimes be used neutrally or positively depending on context, but often carries irony.
  • Công việc hay ho gì đâu! (What a great job! [Meaning it's not great at all])

Synonyms

• Tốt đẹp (adj, ironic): Fine, good (used sarcastically).
• Tuyệt vời (adj, ironic): Wonderful, fantastic (used sarcastically).

Related Idioms

• Làm bộ làm tịch hay hớm: To put on airs, to act in a pretentiously "nice" or proper manner.
  • Đừng có làm bộ làm tịch hay hớm ở đây. (Don't put on such nice airs here.)
• Giỏi giang hay hớm: To be supposedly skilled or capable (said mockingly).
  • Thằng ấy giỏi giang hay hớm, để xem nó làm được gì. (He's so capable, let's see what he can actually do.)

1. (nghĩa xấu) Nice