lên gân
Definition
- Verb (colloquial, often pejorative):
- To act tough / to posture aggressively: To adopt an exaggeratedly aggressive, defiant, or confrontational attitude, often to intimidate others or to overcompensate for a lack of real power or confidence. It implies a performance of bravado.
- To get on one's high horse / to bristle: To react with sudden, exaggerated anger or pride, becoming defensive and combative.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Anh ta không có quyền lực thật, chỉ thích lên gân với nhân viên. (He has no real power, he just likes to act tough with the employees.)
- Đừng có lên gân với tôi! (Don't you get all aggressive with me!)
- Nó vừa nghe phê bình đã lên gân ngay. (He immediately got defensive and bristled upon hearing the criticism.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often describes a sudden shift in demeanor, where a person inflates their ego and adopts a threatening posture. It is frequently used in contexts of arguments, challenges to authority, or displays of false courage.
Variants and Related Words
- Lên giọng (v): to raise one's voice or tone arrogantly.
- Anh ấy lên giọng dạy đời người khác. (He adopted a lecturing tone to preach to others.)
- Lên mặt (v): to put on airs, to act superior.
- Có chút thành tích đã lên mặt. (He got a little achievement and started putting on airs.)
Synonyms
- To bluster: To talk in a loud, aggressive, or indignant way with little effect.
- To flex (one's muscles) (figurative): To make a show of strength or power.
- To strut: To walk with a proud, swaggering gait, implying arrogance.
Related Idioms
- Lên gân lên cốt: An intensified form of "lên gân," meaning to act exceedingly tough or to put on an extreme show of force and defiance.
- Hắn lên gân lên cốt để dọa mọi người. (He puffed himself up to the extreme to intimidate everyone.)