Definition

1. Verb:
   • To speak saucily: To talk in a cheeky, impudent, or disrespectful manner, often with a playful or teasing intent that crosses into rudeness.
   • To talk nonsense / to fib: To say things that are untrue, silly, or exaggerated, often in a casual or irresponsible way.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Đứa trẻ nói lếu với người lớn. (The child spoke saucily to the adult.)
  • Nó chỉ nói lếu thôi, đừng tin. (He's just talking nonsense/fibbing, don't believe him.)
  • Thằng bé hay nói lếu khi bị hỏi về bài tập. (The boy often talks saucily/fibs when asked about his homework.)

Advanced Usage

• The term often describes speech that is not seriously malicious but is deliberately impertinent or frivolously untrue. It carries a connotation of minor, irritating dishonesty or backtalk.

Variants and Related Words

• Nói láo (v): to lie, to tell a falsehood. This is generally stronger and more directly means "to lie" compared to "nói lếu."
  • Nó bị phạt vì nói láo. (He was punished for lying.)
• Nói bậy (v): to talk improperly, to use bad language.
  • Không được nói bậy trước mặt trẻ con. (You must not use bad language in front of children.)

Synonyms

• To be cheeky: To show a lack of respect in a way that is amusing or annoying.
• To fib: To tell a small, trivial lie.
• To talk back: To answer in a disrespectful way.

Related Idioms

• Nói lếu nói láo: To speak untruthfully and irresponsibly; to tell tall tales or fibs consistently.
  • Cả ngày nó cứ nói lếu nói láo, chẳng biết đâu mà lần. (He just fibs and tells tales all day, you can't make head or tail of it.)

1. Speak saucily