mách
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- 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.)