la rày

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To scold, to reprimand, to berate: To speak angrily or critically to someone for a fault or mistake, often repeatedly or at length, causing them distress or discomfort. It implies a sustained, nagging, or harsh verbal rebuke.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Mẹ la rày con vì điểm kém. (The mother scolded her child for the bad grade.)
  • Sếp la rày nhân viên về lỗi sai trong báo cáo. (The boss berated the employee for the mistake in the report.)
  • Đừng la rày nó nữa, nó đã biết lỗi rồi. (Don't scold him anymore; he already knows his mistake.)

Advanced Usage

• The term often carries a nuance of nagging or persistent fault-finding beyond a single instance of scolding. It can describe a pattern of verbal criticism that wears someone down.

Variants and Related Words

• La mắng (v): to scold, to tell off. A more common general synonym for scolding.

  • Cô giáo la mắng học sinh ồn ào. (The teacher told off the noisy students.)

• Quở trách (v): to reproach, to admonish. Slightly more formal and less harsh than "la rày."

  • Ông ấy quở trách tôi vì sự thiếu cẩn thận. (He reproached me for my carelessness.)

Synonyms

• Berate: To scold or criticize angrily.
• Nag: To annoy or irritate with persistent fault-finding.
• Reprimand: A formal expression of disapproval.

Related Idioms

• La rày om sòm: To scold noisily and clamorously.
  • Hàng xóm la rày om sòm khi bọn trẻ đá bóng vào vườn. (The neighbors made a huge fuss scolding when the kids kicked a ball into their garden.)