nỡ tay
Definition
- Adjective (Idiomatic):
- To have the heart to do something (usually harsh or harmful): This phrase describes the psychological state of being able to bring oneself to perform an action that is typically severe, hurtful, or damaging, often towards someone or something one cares about. It implies overcoming a sense of pity, compassion, or reluctance.
- To be hard-hearted enough to: It conveys a sense of being able to steel one's heart or suppress one's softer feelings to carry out a difficult action.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Tôi không nỡ tay đuổi con chó đi. (I cannot bring myself to chase the dog away.)
- Bà ấy nỡ tay chặt cây hoa đào sau vườn. (She was hard-hearted enough to cut down the peach blossom tree in the garden.)
- Anh ta có nỡ tay từ chối đứa trẻ đó không? (Could he bring himself to refuse that child?)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is almost always used in a rhetorical or negative context, frequently with "không" (not) to express an inability to perform a harsh act due to compassion.
- It can be used in conditional or interrogative sentences to question or contemplate the possibility of such an action.
Variants and Related Words
- Nỡ lòng: A very close synonym, also meaning "to have the heart to". It is often interchangeable with "nỡ tay".
- Mẹ không nỡ lòng mắng con. (The mother couldn't bring herself to scold her child.)
Synonyms
- To have the heart to: To be able to do something despite emotional difficulty.
- To be hard-hearted enough to: To possess sufficient sternness or lack of tenderness to act.
Related Idioms
- Không nỡ tay / Không nỡ lòng: The most common usage, meaning "to not have the heart to", expressing compassion and reluctance.
- Ông chủ không nỡ tay sa thải nhân viên cũ. (The boss couldn't bring himself to fire the longtime employee.)