Definition

1. Verb:
   • To envy (someone) persistently over minor matters; to be petty and jealous: "kèn cựa" describes the action of feeling or showing envy, jealousy, or resentment towards someone, often starting from trivial or insignificant things. It implies a persistent, nitpicking attitude.

Usage

• The verb "kèn cựa" is used to express a negative emotional state of begrudging others their advantages, successes, or possessions, especially over small issues.
• It often describes behavior within competitive relationships, such as among siblings, colleagues, or peers.
• It is typically followed by a preposition like "với" (with/towards) to indicate the target of the envy.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Anh ta luôn kèn cựa với đồng nghiệp về mọi thứ, từ chỗ ngồi đến lời khen của sếp. (He always envies his colleagues over everything, from seating arrangements to the boss's praise.)
  • Đừng kèn cựa với người hơn mình, hãy học hỏi từ họ. (Don't be petty and jealous of those who are better than you; learn from them instead.)
  • Hai chị em kèn cựa nhau từ bé chỉ vì những món quà nhỏ. (The two sisters have been envious of each other since childhood over small gifts.)

Advanced Usage

• "kèn cựa lẫn nhau": to be mutually envious/jelous of each other.
  • Trong môi trường cạnh tranh, họ dễ kèn cựa lẫn nhau. (In a competitive environment, they easily become jealous of each other.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ganh tị (verb): to envy, to be jealous. (This is a more general synonym, while "kèn cựa" emphasizes pettiness and persistence.)
• Đố kỵ (verb): to be envious, to begrudge. (This carries a stronger, more malicious connotation than "kèn cựa".)
• So bì (verb): to compare and feel resentful about disparities. (This focuses on the act of comparison that leads to envy.)

Synonyms

• Ghen tị: to be jealous/envious.
• Ghen ghét: to envy and hate.

Related Idioms/Phrases

• "Con gà tức nhau tiếng gáy": (Literal: Roosters get angry at each other's crowing). This idiom describes petty jealousy and rivalry, closely related to the concept of "kèn cựa".
  • Họ cãi nhau chẳng vì lý do gì to tát, đúng là con gà tức nhau tiếng gáy. (They argued for no major reason, it's truly a case of petty jealousy.)

1. Envy (someone) from the smallest thing
   • Kèn cựa với người hơn mình
     To envy someone superior to one from the smallest thing