làm trò
Definition
Verb:
- To act the fool / to clown around: To behave in a silly, playful, or humorous way, often to amuse others or to attract attention.
- To put on an act / to make a spectacle of oneself: To behave in an exaggerated, artificial, or ridiculous manner, often to gain sympathy, favor, or simply to be noticed.
Verb (extended usage):
- To perform a (comic) act / to do a turn: To perform a short, often improvised, comic performance or skit.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Đứa trẻ đang làm trò để mọi người chú ý. (The child is clowning around to get everyone's attention.)
- Anh ta chỉ đang làm trò thôi, đừng tin. (He's just putting on an act, don't believe him.)
- Trong bữa tiệc, cô ấy làm trò cho mọi người cười. (At the party, she performed a comic act to make everyone laugh.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often carries a negative or dismissive connotation, implying the behavior is insincere, annoying, or undignified.
- It can be used as an imperative to tell someone to stop their foolish or affected behavior.
Variants and Related Words
Làm trò cười (v): to make a laughingstock of oneself; to do something that makes others laugh at you.
- Anh ấy sợ làm trò cười trước đám đông. (He is afraid of making a laughingstock of himself in front of the crowd.)
Làm trò mua vui (v): to clown around for entertainment; to perform antics to amuse.
- Chú hề làm trò mua vui cho khán giả. (The clown clowned around to amuse the audience.)
Synonyms
- Clown around: To behave in a comical or foolish manner.
- Show off: To behave in a way intended to attract attention.
- Put on an act: To behave in a way that is not sincere or natural.
Related Idioms
Làm trò hề: Literally "to play the jester/clown"; synonymous with acting foolishly or being the butt of a joke.
- Đừng có làm trò hề nữa! (Stop playing the fool!)
Làm trò khỉ: Literally "to do monkey tricks"; implies behaving in a silly, undignified, or animal-like manner.
- Nó cứ làm trò khỉ mãi thôi. (He just keeps doing monkey tricks.)