muối mặt
Verb: - To act or behave in a way that disregards one's own dignity and the opinions of others, typically when doing something shameful, embarrassing, or humiliating, often out of desperation or necessity. It implies "brazenly entreating" or "shamelessly asking for something" while fully aware of the loss of face involved.
The verb muối mặt describes a conscious action where a person chooses to endure shame or humiliation. It is used when someone must do something that severely damages their self-respect or public image, usually because they have no better alternative. The action is seen as contemptible by the speaker.
- (After committing fraud, he still had the nerve to shamelessly come ask me for money.)
- (She brazenly called her ex to ask for a favor, disregarding her dignity.)
- (One cannot so shamelessly go begging like that.)
- Muối mặt is often used in contexts of pleading, begging, or asking for help after having acted wrongly or being in a morally compromised position. It carries a strong negative judgment from the speaker about the subject's action.
- Mất mặt (verb phrase): To lose face; to be embarrassed or humiliated (often by circumstances, not necessarily by one's own shameless action).
- Trơ trẽn (adjective): Brazen, shameless, impudent (describes the characteristic, not the specific act of entreaty).
- Liều mặt: To risk one's face; to act disregarding potential shame (similar, but can imply more risk than conscious shame).
- Trơ mặt: To be thick-skinned/brazen-faced (emphasizes the lack of shame rather than the act of entreaty).
While muối mặt itself is typically used as a verb phrase, it relates to concepts of shame and face in Vietnamese culture: - Mặt dày: (Thick-faced) An adjective describing someone who is shameless. - Chịu trận (nhục): To endure/suffer (humiliation). This focuses on enduring shame, while muối mặt focuses on actively performing a shameful act.
- Brazely entreat (someone for something)