ma cà bông
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A vagrant; a vagabond: "ma cà bông" refers to a person who has no fixed home or legitimate job, lives a wandering life, and often earns a living through dishonest or dubious means.
- A rogue; a rascal: It can also imply a person who is mischievous, unreliable, or engages in disreputable activities.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Những kẻ ma cà bông thường lang thang quanh chợ. (Vagrants often wander around the market.)
- Đừng tin hắn, hắn là một tên ma cà bông chuyên lừa đảo. (Don't trust him; he's a rogue who specializes in fraud.)
Advanced Usage
- Used as a modifier: While primarily a noun, it can be used attributively to describe a characteristic or lifestyle.
- Cuộc sống ma cà bông (a vagabond life)
- Bọn ma cà bông (a gang of vagrants/rogues)
Variants and Related Words
- Lang thang (v, adj): to wander; wandering. This is a more neutral term for having no fixed abode.
- Vô gia cư (adj, n): homeless; a homeless person. This is a direct, descriptive term without the negative connotation of dishonesty.
- Lưu manh (n): a hoodlum; a hooligan. This shares the connotation of dishonesty and petty crime but implies a more organized or gang-like element.
Synonyms
- Kẻ lang thang: wanderer.
- Kẻ vô công rồi nghề: an idle person with no job.
- Kẻ bất lương: a dishonest person.
Notes on Meaning and Connotation
The term "ma cà bông" carries a strong negative connotation. It does not simply mean a homeless person ("người vô gia cư"), but specifically implies a person who chooses or is forced into a wandering, unsettled lifestyle often associated with laziness, trickery, or petty crime. It is a derogatory term.
- vagrand; vagabon