nhăn nhở
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Grinning in a silly, foolish, or inappropriate manner: Describes a facial expression where someone is smiling or laughing broadly in a way that is perceived as lacking seriousness, dignity, or propriety. It often implies the grin is out of place, overly casual, or disrespectful given the context.
- To grimace or show one's teeth in an unseemly way: Can describe an exaggerated, often unattractive, display of teeth that is not a genuine smile but rather a smirk or a leer.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Nó cười nhăn nhở khi bị cô giáo phê bình. (He grinned foolishly when the teacher criticized him.)
- Đừng nhăn nhở như thế trong đám tang. (Don't grin inappropriately like that at a funeral.)
- Mặt nó nhăn nhở ra, trông thật khó ưa. (His face broke into a silly grin, looking quite unpleasant.)
Advanced Usage
- The word is often used to express disapproval or criticism of someone's expression, judging it as unserious or impolite. It is more negative than a simple, neutral "grin."
Variants and Related Words
- Nhăn (v): to wrinkle, to frown. This is the root, suggesting a contortion of the face.
- Cười nhăn (v): to grin (often with a similar negative connotation, but slightly less strong than "nhăn nhở").
Synonyms
- To grin foolishly
- To smirk
- To leer (with a suggestive or offensive connotation)
Related Idioms
- While "nhăn nhở" itself is typically used as a standalone descriptive, it captures the essence of behavior described in idioms like "cười như đồ nhăn" (to laugh like a grinning object/villain), which denotes a very rude, mocking, or villainous laugh.
- Grin