nặng lời
Definition
- Verb:
- To use strong/harsh words: To speak to someone using severe, critical, or excessively blunt language, often causing offense or hurt feelings. This typically occurs in close relationships (e.g., family, friends) during moments of anger or frustration.
- To exchange solemn promises/vows (archaic/literary): In classical literature, particularly poetry, the phrase can mean to exchange serious, weighty promises, often of love or fidelity. This usage is now rare and primarily found in older texts.
Usage Examples
- Verb (modern usage):
- Anh ấy không bao giờ nặng lời với con cái. (He never uses harsh words with his children.)
- Cô ấy tự hối hận vì đã nặng lời với mẹ. (She regretted speaking harshly to her mother.)
- Verb (literary usage):
- Trong thơ cổ, đôi trai gái đã nặng lời thề nguyền. (In classical poetry, the young couple exchanged solemn vows.)
Advanced Usage
- The modern meaning carries a strong connotation of impropriety or regret, as the harsh words are seen as disproportionate or damaging within a close, trusting relationship.
- The literary meaning derives from interpreting "nặng" as "weighty/serious" and "lời" as "words/promises," thus meaning "to exchange weighty promises."
Variants and Related Words
- Lời nặng tiếng nhẹ (idiomatic phrase): To speak with a mix of harsh and soft words; to argue or rebuke someone.
- Nói nặng (verb phrase): A shorter, more colloquial form meaning to speak harshly.
Synonyms
- To rebuke: To express sharp disapproval or criticism.
- To berate: To scold or criticize angrily.
- To speak harshly: To use unkind or severe language.
Related Idioms
- Nặng lời nhẹ lời: This phrase emphasizes the act of exchanging words, whether harsh or gentle, often in the context of an argument or a serious conversation about commitment.
verb
-
to use strong words
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