mách mao
Definition
- Verb:
- To inform secretly / to tip off: The primary meaning of "mách mao" is to secretly provide information or a warning to someone, often about something they were not supposed to know or about a potential problem.
- To tell on someone / to snitch: It can also mean to secretly report someone's misdeeds or secrets to an authority figure, like a parent or teacher.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Nó mách mao với cô giáo là tôi không làm bài tập. (He tipped off the teacher that I didn't do my homework.)
- Ai đã mách mao cho họ biết kế hoạch của chúng ta? (Who secretly informed them about our plan?)
Advanced Usage
- The term "mách mao" often carries a negative connotation, implying betrayal or sneaky behavior. It is used in informal, colloquial contexts.
Variants and Related Words
- Mách (v): to tell, to inform (can be neutral or negative depending on context). This is the root verb.
- Đừng có mách mẹ! (Don't tell Mom!)
- Mách lẻo (v): to tattle, to tell tales. This is a very close synonym with a strong negative connotation.
- Đứa trẻ hay mách lẻo. (The child is a tattletale.)
Synonyms
- To tip off: to give secret or advance information.
- To tell on someone: to report someone's bad behavior.
- To snitch: to inform on someone (informal, negative).
Related Idioms
- While "mách mao" itself is not typically part of a longer idiom, the act is central to phrases like:
- Chuyện bé xé ra to: to make a mountain out of a molehill (often due to someone "mách mao" or telling tales).