Definition

1. Verb:
   • To sneak; to tell tales: To secretly inform someone, especially an authority figure, about another person's wrongdoing or misbehavior, often with the implication of being a tattletale.
   • To inform; to tell (something useful): To provide someone with useful information, a tip, or advice, often in a helpful or confidential manner.

Usage Examples

• Verb (to tell tales):

  • Nó hay mách cô giáo khi các bạn nói chuyện riêng. (He often tells the teacher when other students talk privately.)
  • Đừng có mách mẹ là em làm vỡ cái bát! (Don't sneak on me to Mom about me breaking the bowl!)

• Verb (to inform/tell usefully):

  • Bà lão mách cho tôi một bài thuốc dân gian rất hiệu quả. (The old lady told me about a very effective folk remedy.)
  • Anh ấy mách tôi một địa chỉ mua sách cũ rất rẻ. (He gave me the address of a place to buy very cheap used books.)

Advanced Usage

• "mách lẻo": to tattle, to tell tales (emphasizes gossipy or petty reporting).

  • Đứa trẻ đó rất hay mách lẻo. (That child is a big tattletale.)

• "mách nước": to give a hint or a tip (often in a game or difficult situation).

  • Trong lúc tôi bí, anh ấy đã mách nước cho một cách giải quyết. (When I was stuck, he gave me a tip on how to resolve it.)

Variants and Related Words

• Mách bảo (verb phrase): to advise, to instruct (often used for helpful guidance).

  • Người đi trước mách bảo cho người đi sau nhiều kinh nghiệm. (The predecessor advises the successor with much experience.)

• Mối mách (noun): a go-between, an intermediary (in relationships or business).

  • Nhờ có mối mách mà công việc được tiến hành thuận lợi. (Thanks to the intermediary, the work proceeded smoothly.)

Synonyms

• Báo cáo: to report (more formal/neutral).
• Tố cáo: to denounce, to accuse (stronger, more serious).
• Chỉ bảo: to instruct, to guide (helpful, without the negative connotation of "mách").

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Mách thầy/mách cô: to tell the teacher (common phrase used by/for children).

  • Nó chạy đi mách cô ngay. (He ran off to tell the teacher right away.)

• Mách giặc (archaic/idiomatic): to inform the enemy (to betray).

  • Kẻ phản bội đã mách giặc vị trí của quân ta. (The traitor informed the enemy of our troops' position.)

Related Idioms

• Mồm loa mép giải hay mách lẻo: Describes someone who is talkative and loves to gossip or tattle.

  • Cô ấy mồm loa mép giải hay mách lẻo nên chẳng ai muốn tâm sự. (She's talkative and loves to tattle, so no one wants to confide in her.)

• Đi mách qué (colloquial): To go and tattle, to go and tell on someone.

  • Hễ có chuyện gì là nó lại chạy đi mách qué. (Whenever something happens, he runs off to tattle.)

verb

1. to sneak; to tell tales