lanh chanh

Cô bé lanh chanh chạy ra mở cửa trước khi khách kịp bấm chuông.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Meddlesome, officious, or overly hasty in doing things that are not one's responsibility: Describes a person who is too eager to act, often interfering in others' affairs or rushing to do tasks without being asked, typically resulting in clumsiness or mistakes.
   • Impetuous, rash: Can describe an action done with excessive and thoughtless haste.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Đừng có lanh chanh, để người ta tự làm! (Don't be so meddlesome, let them do it themselves!)
  • Cô ấy lanh chanh nhận lời thay cho cả nhóm mà không hỏi ý kiến ai. (She was officious in accepting the offer on behalf of the whole group without asking anyone's opinion.)
  • Tính nó lanh chanh lắm, hay làm hỏng việc của người khác. (He has a very meddlesome nature, often ruining other people's work.)

Advanced Usage

• "tính lanh chanh": a meddlesome or officious character.

  • Cô ấy bị mọi người xa lánh vì tính lanh chanh. (She is avoided by everyone because of her meddlesome character.)

• "hành động lanh chanh": a meddlesome/rash action.

  • Một hành động lanh chanh có thể gây ra hậu quả không mong muốn. (A rash action can lead to unintended consequences.)

Variants and Related Words

• Chanh chua (adj): This is a different word. It means "sour (like lime/lemon)" or is used metaphorically to describe a sharp, sarcastic, or acerbic tone of speech.
• Lăng xăng (adj): While also describing someone who is busy and active, "lăng xăng" is more neutral or slightly negative, meaning bustling or fussy, but does not necessarily imply meddling in others' affairs like "lanh chanh" does.

Synonyms

• Tọc mạch: Nosy, prying (focuses more on curiosity about others' private matters).
• Xen vào: To interfere, to meddle (a verb describing the action).
• Hấp tấp: Hasty, rash (focuses on speed without preparation, but not necessarily involving others' affairs).

Related Idioms/Phrases

• "Lanh chanh như chim sổ lồng": As officious/rash as a bird escaped from a cage. (An idiom emphasizing extreme, uncontrolled eagerness.)
• "Ăn cơm nhà vác tù và hàng tổng": Literally "Eat at home but carry the ward chief's horn." This idiom criticizes someone who meddles in community affairs or others' business without being responsible for the outcomes, sharing a conceptual space with "lanh chanh."