móc máy

Mẹ dùng cây chổi để móc máy gầm tủ.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To clean meticulously / to sweep thoroughly: To clean or sweep every corner and hidden spot, leaving no area untouched.
   • To make snide remarks / to insinuate: To indirectly and critically point out someone's faults or shortcomings, often in a sarcastic or covert manner.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Chị ấy móc máy gầm giường và sau tủ. (She meticulously cleaned under the bed and behind the cabinet.)
  • Anh ta thích móc máy lỗi của đồng nghiệp trong cuộc họp. (He likes to make snide remarks about his colleagues' mistakes during meetings.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used to describe an action done with excessive thoroughness or with a critical, nitpicking intent.

Variants and Related Words

• Móc (v): Can mean to hook, to pick, or to dig out. In a figurative sense, it also means to dig up or point out (faults).
• Móc méo (v): To find fault with, to criticize petty details.

Synonyms

• To scour: To clean thoroughly.
• To nitpick: To criticize minor details.
• To insinuate: To suggest indirectly, often unpleasantly.

Related Idioms

• Móc họng: (Literally: to hook the throat) To press someone for an answer or a debt aggressively.
• Nói móc: To speak with sarcastic or veiled criticism.