Definition

1. Verb:
   • To scold; to reprove: "mắng" means to speak to someone angrily or critically because they have done something wrong, typically using harsh or severe words to point out their faults or mistakes.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Mẹ mắng tôi vì tôi về nhà muộn. (My mother scolded me because I came home late.)
  • Ông chủ mắng nhân viên vì lỗi sai trong báo cáo. (The boss reproved the employee for the mistake in the report.)
  • Đừng mắng con trẻ trước mặt mọi người. (Don't scold the child in front of everyone.)

Advanced Usage

• "mắng mỏ": to scold or berate persistently and naggingly.
  • Bà ấy suốt ngày mắng mỏ chồng vì những chuyện nhỏ nhặt. (She nags and scolds her husband all day over trivial matters.)
• "mắng nhiếc" / "chửi mắng": to scold using insulting or abusive language; to berate harshly.
  • Anh ta tức giận và bắt đầu mắng nhiếc đối thủ. (He got angry and started to berate his opponent with insults.)

Variants and Related Words

• Mắng nhiếc (verb): to scold abusively; to revile.
• Quở mắng (verb): to reprove or reprimand (often with a tone of admonishment or warning).
• La mắng (verb): to scold or tell off (a common compound combining "la" (to shout) and "mắng").
  • Cô giáo la mắng học sinh ồn ào. (The teacher told off the noisy students.)

Synonyms

• Trách mắng (verb): to blame and scold.
• Quở trách (verb): to reproach; to admonish.
• Rầy la (verb): to reprimand; to chide.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Mắng cho một trận: to give someone a thorough scolding.
  • Cậu bé bị mẹ mắng cho một trận vì đánh nhau. (The boy got a thorough scolding from his mother for fighting.)
• Mắng xối xả: to scold someone in a torrent of angry words.
  • Ông ấy mắng xối xả tên trộm. (He unleashed a torrent of scolding at the thief.)

Related Idioms

• Mắng như tát nước vào mặt: to scold someone as if splashing water on their face (i.e., to scold severely and directly).
  • Bị sếp mắng như tát nước vào mặt, anh ta xấu hổ vô cùng. (Being scolded by the boss as if splashed with water, he was utterly ashamed.)
• Mắng chó, chửi mèo: (literally: to scold the dog, to curse the cat) to scold indirectly or vent one's anger on innocent parties.
  • Bà ấy giận chồng nên về nhà mắng chó chửi mèo. (She was angry with her husband, so she went home and took it out on the dog and cat.)

verb

1. to scold; to reprove