nuốt lời
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To go back on one's word: To intentionally fail to keep a promise or commitment one has made.
- To break one's promise: To not do what one said one would do.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Anh ấy đã hứa giúp tôi, nhưng cuối cùng lại nuốt lời. (He promised to help me, but in the end, he went back on his word.)
- Đừng bao giờ nuốt lời với trẻ con. (Never break your promise to children.)
- Công ty đã nuốt lời về việc tăng lương cho nhân viên. (The company went back on its word about raising salaries for employees.)
Advanced Usage
- "nuốt lời hứa": to go back on a promise (a more specific and emphatic form).
- Việc nuốt lời hứa sẽ làm mất lòng tin. (Going back on a promise will destroy trust.)
- Used in formal or serious contexts to criticize a breach of commitment, often implying a loss of trust or honor.
Variants and Related Words
- Thất hứa (v): to break a promise. (A more common, direct synonym.)
- Cáo từ (v): to renege (on a deal/agreement). (More formal, often used in business/legal contexts.)
- Bội ước (v): to break a vow/oath. (Stronger, often for solemn promises like marriage or treaties.)
Synonyms
- Break a promise: (General equivalent)
- Go back on one's word: (Closest direct translation)
- Fail to keep one's word: (Descriptive synonym)
Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)
- Ăn lời / Ăn lời hứa: (Rare, regional) Has a similar meaning to "nuốt lời," implying taking back or consuming one's spoken words.
Related Idioms
- Hứa hươu hứa vượn: To make empty promises (literally: to promise a deer, promise a gibbon). This idiom describes making many promises one doesn't intend to keep, which is related to the action of "nuốt lời."
- Hứa như đúng rồi: To promise as if it's already done (sarcastic). This implies a promise is made confidently but is likely to be broken ("nuốt lời").
- Go back on one ' s word
- Hức trịnh trọng thế mà rồi lại nuốt lờiTo go back on one's word after making such a solemn promise