Definition

1. Verb:
   • To scold, to berate, to rebuke: "nhiếc mắng" means to speak to someone angrily and critically because they have done something wrong. It implies a harsh, often loud, verbal reprimand.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Bà ấy nhiếc mắng đứa trẻ vì làm vỡ bình hoa. (She scolded the child for breaking the vase.)
  • Anh ta bị sếp nhiếc mắng trước mặt mọi người. (He was berated by his boss in front of everyone.)
  • Đừng nhiếc mắng con cái quá nặng lời. (Don't rebuke your children too harshly.)

Advanced Usage

• "bị nhiếc mắng": to be scolded.
  • Nó bị nhiếc mắng vì đi học muộn. (He was scolded for being late to school.)
• "nhiếc mắng thậm tệ": to scold severely.
  • Ông chủ nhiếc mắng thậm tệ nhân viên. (The boss severely scolded the employee.)

Variants and Related Words

• Mắng nhiếc (verb): This is the more common and standard form with the same meaning as "nhiếc mắng". It is the primary term for "to scold/berate".
  • Bố mẹ mắng nhiếc nó vì kết quả học tập kém. (His parents scolded him for his poor academic results.)
• Mắng (verb): to scold, to tell off (can be less severe than "mắng nhiếc").
• Quở trách (verb): to reproach, to admonish (often with a tone of disappointment).
• La mắng (verb): to yell at, to scold (emphasizing the loud voice).

Synonyms

• Trách mắng: to blame and scold.
• Rầy la: to reprimand, to tell off.
• Chửi mắng: to swear at, to curse at (stronger, often includes profanity).

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Lên lớp nhiếc mắng: (idiomatic) to give someone a severe talking-to, to lecture and scold.
  • Giáo viên chủ nhiệm lên lớp nhiếc mắng cả lớp. (The homeroom teacher gave the whole class a severe talking-to.)

Related Idioms

• Mắng như tát nước vào mặt: (idiom) to scold incessantly and harshly, as if splashing water on someone's face.
  • Bà ta mắng nhiếc con dâu như tát nước vào mặt. (She scolded her daughter-in-law incessantly and harshly.)

1. như mắng nhiếc