Definition

1. Verb (Informal):
   • To whine / to whimper: To cry in a complaining, fretful, or petulant manner, often to get attention or something one wants. It implies a less serious, more childish, or manipulative form of crying compared to genuine sorrow.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Đứa trẻ khóc vòi đòi mua đồ chơi. (The child whined to get a toy.)
  • Đừng có khóc vòi nữa, mẹ không cho ăn kẹo trước bữa tối đâu. (Stop whimpering, I won't give you candy before dinner.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used to describe the behavior of children but can be applied to adults in a derogatory way to suggest they are being immature or manipulative.
  • Anh ta cứ khóc vòi mãi về chuyện lương thấp. (He just keeps whining about his low salary.)

Variants and Related Words

• Khóc (v): To cry. The neutral, general term for shedding tears.
• Khóc nhè (v, informal): Very similar to "khóc vòi," meaning to whine or cry fussily.
• Khóc lóc (v): To weep, to cry (often with a connotation of prolonged or vocal crying).

Synonyms

• To whine: To complain in a feeble or petulant way.
• To whimper: To make a series of low, feeble sounds expressive of fear, pain, or discontent.
• To grizzle (chiefly British informal): To cry fretfully.

Related Idioms

• Khóc như mưa: To cry very heavily (like rain). This describes genuine, intense crying, not the petulant "khóc vòi."
• Khóc dỗi: To cry in a sulky or sulking manner because one is offended or didn't get their way. This is closely related to "khóc vòi" but emphasizes the emotional state of being sulky.