ma bùn
Definition
Noun:
- A miser; a stingy person: A person who is extremely unwilling to spend money or use resources, often to the point of being contemptible or petty. This term carries a strong negative connotation of meanness and pettiness.
Adjective (attributive):
- Stingy; miserly; mean: Describes the characteristic of being a miser. Used to characterize a person's behavior or nature.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- Hắn ta đúng là một tên ma bùn, chẳng bao giờ chịu chia sẻ thứ gì. (He is truly a miser, never willing to share anything.)
- Đừng có làm ma bùn, mời mọi người ly cà phê đi. (Don't be such a stingy person, buy everyone a cup of coffee.)
Adjective:
- Tính cách ma bùn của anh ta khiến mọi người khó chịu. (His miserly character makes everyone uncomfortable.)
- Bà chủ quán có tiếng là rất ma bùn. (The shop owner has a reputation for being very stingy.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "ma bùn" is highly colloquial and derogatory. It is stronger and more insulting than neutral terms like "tiết kiệm" (thrifty). It implies not just carefulness with money, but a selfish, petty, and contemptible attitude.
Variants and Related Words
- Bủn xỉn (adj): Stingy, miserly. A close synonym, often used interchangeably with "ma bùn."
- Hà tiện (adj): Stingy, parsimonious. Another synonym, slightly less colloquial than "ma bùn."
- Keo kiệt (adj): Stingy, tight-fisted. A common synonym with similar derogatory force.
Synonyms
- Miser: A person who hoards wealth and spends as little as possible.
- Skinflint: A person who is excessively unwilling to spend money.
- Scrooge: A person who is miserly (from the Charles Dickens character).
- Tightwad: A stingy person (informal).
Related Idioms
- While "ma bùn" itself is not typically part of a longer idiom, it is used in expressive, proverbial-style phrases to criticize behavior.
- Sống mà ma bùn thế thì ai thèm chơi. (If you live so stingily, who would want to be friends with you?)