mặc xác
Definition
- Phrase (colloquial, often considered vulgar or blunt):
- To not care at all / to disregard completely: A strong, emphatic expression meaning to pay no attention to someone or something, to ignore a situation or person's feelings entirely. It conveys indifference, often with a sense of annoyance or dismissal.
- Let someone be / to leave someone to their own devices: Used to express the decision to stop interfering, arguing, or worrying about another person's actions or fate.
Usage Examples
- Phrase:
- Nó muốn làm gì thì mặc xác nó. (Let him do whatever he wants; I don't care.)
- Mặc xác họ nói gì, tôi vẫn sẽ làm theo cách của mình. (I don't care what they say; I will still do it my way.)
- Anh ấy cứ thức khuya, mặc xác anh ấy đi. (He keeps staying up late; just leave him to it.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is stronger and more emotionally charged than the standard "mặc kệ". It often implies the speaker's frustration, resignation, or a deliberate choice to sever emotional involvement.
- It is frequently used in imperative or declarative sentences to end a discussion about someone else's choices.
Variants and Related Words
- Mặc kệ (phrase): to disregard, to ignore, to not care about. This is the standard, less vulgar equivalent.
- Mặc kệ nó đi. (Just ignore him.)
Synonyms
- To disregard completely: To ignore or pay no attention to.
- To not give a damn (vulgar slang): A crude expression of extreme indifference.
- To leave (someone) be: To stop bothering or interfering with someone.
Related Idioms
- Mặc ai nấy lo: An idiom meaning "everyone for themselves" or "let each person worry about their own problems," which shares the core concept of deliberate non-interference.
- Bây giờ tình thế khó khăn, chỉ còn cách mặc ai nấy lo. (The situation is difficult now; the only way is everyone for themselves.)