Definition

1. Verb:
   • To pretend / to feign: To act in a way that is not genuine, often to create a false impression or to hide one's true feelings or intentions.
   • To give oneself airs / to put on airs: To behave in a way that is intended to make oneself seem more important, refined, or superior than one actually is.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Ăn thì ăn ngay, đừng làm bộ. (If you want to eat, just eat; don't pretend otherwise.)
  • Cô ấy luôn làm bộ ta đây giàu có. (She always puts on airs as if she were rich.)
  • Anh ấy làm bộ không biết gì cả. (He pretended to know nothing.)

Advanced Usage

• "làm bộ làm tịch": This is an intensified or more elaborate form of "làm bộ," emphasizing exaggerated, affected, or ridiculous pretense and airs.
  • Đừng có làm bộ làm tịch ở đây. (Stop putting on such ridiculous airs here.)

Variants and Related Words

• Làm cao (v): To act aloof or haughty.
• Giả vờ (v): To pretend, to feign (a more general and common synonym).
• Làm điệu (v): To act in a coy or affectedly cute manner.

Synonyms

• Pretend: To behave so as to make it appear that something is the case when in fact it is not.
• Feign: To pretend to be affected by a feeling, state, or injury.
• Put on airs / Give oneself airs: To assume an artificial or haughty manner.

Related Idioms

• Làm bộ làm tịch: As above, meaning to put on exaggerated, false, or ridiculous airs and graces.
  • Cứ làm bộ làm tịch mãi, thật đáng chán. (He keeps putting on such false airs; it's really tiresome.)

1. Demur insincerely
   • Ăn thì ăn ngay, đừng làm bộ
     Don't demur insincerely, if you feel like eating, just eat
2. Give onself airs.
3. (địa phương)Feign, simulate, pretend
   • Làm bộ làm tịch
     To give oneself airs and graces