láu cá
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Cunning; Sly: Having or showing skill in achieving one's ends by deceit or evasion. It describes a person, especially a child, who is clever in a way that is slightly mischievous or deceptive.
- Shrewd; Smart: Clever and having good judgment, often in a practical, street-smart way that involves quick thinking.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Đứa bé đó rất láu cá. (That child is very cunning/sly.)
- Anh ta là một thương nhân láu cá. (He is a shrewd businessman.)
- Nó trả lời láu cá khi bị cô giáo hỏi. (He answered slyly when the teacher asked him.)
Advanced Usage
- The term often carries a nuance of playful or harmless cleverness, especially when describing children. However, it can imply untrustworthiness or trickery when describing adults.
- "láu tôm láu cá": An intensified idiom meaning extremely cunning or sly.
- Tên bán hàng đó láu tôm láu cá, đừng tin. (That vendor is extremely sly, don't trust him.)
Variants and Related Words
- Láu (adj): A shorter, more colloquial form with a similar meaning of being sly or cheekily clever.
- Thằng bé láu lắm! (That boy is very cheeky/sly!)
Synonyms
- Cunning: Skilled in deception.
- Sly: Clever in a dishonest or secretive way.
- Shrewd: Having sharp powers of judgment; astute.
- Crafty: Clever at achieving one's aims by indirect or deceitful methods.
Related Idioms
- Láu cá như cáo: As sly as a fox. Used to emphasize someone's cunning nature.
- Hắn láu cá như cáo, mình phải cẩn thận. (He's as sly as a fox; we must be careful.)