láu
Definition
- Adjective:
- Cunning; sly; crafty: Describes a person, especially a child, who is clever in a quick-witted, sharp, and often mischievous way, typically to gain a small advantage or benefit for themselves.
- Shrewd; astute: Can describe someone who is cleverly perceptive and quick to understand situations, often with a connotation of street-smart intelligence.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Đứa bé đó rất láu. (That child is very cunning/sly.)
- Anh ta là một người bán hàng láu. (He is a shrewd salesman.)
- Nó trả lời láu lỉnh. (It answered in a cheeky/smart-alecky way.)
Advanced Usage
- The word often carries a nuanced tone. It can be slightly negative, implying trickiness or deceit for minor gains, but it can also be somewhat admiring, implying quick intelligence and resourcefulness.
- It is frequently used to describe children who are precociously clever or talkative in a cheeky manner.
Variants and Related Words
- Láu lỉnh (adj): An intensified form, meaning very sly, cheeky, or impudently clever.
- Cô bé có ánh mắt láu lỉnh. (The little girl had a mischievously clever look in her eyes.)
- Láu cá (adj): Synonymous with cunning, crafty, or foxy.
- Hắn có vẻ ngoài hiền lành nhưng thực ra rất láu cá. (He looks gentle but is actually very crafty.)
Synonyms
- Cunning: Having or showing skill in achieving one's ends by deceit or evasion.
- Sly: Having or showing a cunning and deceitful nature.
- Shrewd: Having or showing sharp powers of judgment; astute.
- Clever: Quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas; often intelligent.
Related Idioms
- Láu như khỉ: As sly/cunning as a monkey. A common simile emphasizing high levels of mischievous cleverness.
- Thằng bé ấy láu như khỉ. (That boy is as sly as a monkey.)
- Miệng láu: Describes someone who is quick with a (often cheeky or sharp) reply.
- Đừng có mà miệng láu với người lớn! (Don't you be cheeky to your elders!)