Definition

1. Verb:

   • To boast; to brag: To speak with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one's achievements, possessions, or abilities, often exaggerating them.
   • To exaggerate; to overstate: To represent something as being larger, greater, better, or more important than it actually is.

2. Adjective (derived usage):

   • Grandiose; bombastic; pompous: Describing language, style, or behavior that is overly elaborate, extravagant, or intended to impress, often lacking sincerity.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Anh ta thích khoa trương về thành tích của mình. (He likes to boast about his achievements.)
  • Đừng khoa trương khi kể lại câu chuyện. (Don't exaggerate when retelling the story.)
• Adjective:
  • Lời văn khoa trương ấy nghe thật giả tạo. (That bombastic writing sounds very artificial.)
  • Phong cách diễn thuyết của ông ấy bị cho là quá khoa trương. (His oratory style is considered too pompous.)

Advanced Usage

• "khoa trương quá mức": to exaggerate excessively; to be overly boastful.
  • Bài quảng cáo đó khoa trương quá mức về hiệu quả của sản phẩm. (That advertisement exaggerates the product's effectiveness excessively.)

Variants and Related Words

• Khoe khoang (v): to show off; to boast. Often used interchangeably with "khoa trương" but can imply a more overt display.
  • Cô ấy luôn khoe khoang chiếc xe mới. (She is always showing off her new car.)
• Phóng đại (v): to magnify; to amplify. Focuses more on the act of making something seem larger or more significant.
  • Báo chí đôi khi phóng đại sự thật. (The press sometimes magnifies the truth.)

Synonyms

• Verb: Boast, brag, exaggerate, overstate, vaunt.
• Adjective: Grandiose, bombastic, pompous, ostentatious, inflated.

Related Idioms

• Khoa trương rỗng tuếch: To be full of empty boasts; to be bombastic but without substance.
  • Những lời hứa của hắn chỉ là khoa trương rỗng tuếch. (His promises are just empty boasts.)
• Nói khoa trương: To speak in an exaggerated or boastful manner.
  • Anh ấy nói khoa trương đến mức chẳng ai tin. (He speaks so boastfully that no one believes him.)

verb

1. to boast; to brag