Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Boastful, bragging: Describes a person who speaks with excessive pride and self-praise, often exaggerating their abilities, achievements, or possessions. This is the primary and most common meaning.
   • Arrogant: Can imply a related sense of overbearing pride or cockiness stemming from this boastful behavior.

2. Noun:

   • Boastfulness, bragging: Refers to the act or habit of making boastful statements.
   • A braggart: Refers to a person characterized by being boastful.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Anh ta là một người rất phách lác. (He is a very boastful person.)
  • Đừng nghe những lời phách lác của hắn. (Don't listen to his bragging words.)
• Noun:
  • Tính phách lác của nó khiến mọi người khó chịu. (His boastfulness irritates everyone.)
  • Hắn đúng là một tên phách lác. (He is truly a braggart.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "phách lác" is noted as having a dialectal or regional usage origin and is considered synonymous with the more standard word "khoác lác".
• It often carries a negative connotation, criticizing empty or exaggerated talk rather than genuine confidence.

Variants and Related Words

• Khoác lác (adj, v, n): To brag, boastful, bragging. The standard synonym for "phách lác".
  • Hắn chỉ biết khoác lác. (He only knows how to brag.)
• Nói phách (v): To talk boastfully, to brag.
  • Nó thích nói phách về thành tích của mình. (He likes to brag about his achievements.)

Synonyms

• Boastful: Showing excessive pride and self-satisfaction in one's achievements, possessions, or abilities.
• Braggart: A person who boasts about achievements or possessions.
• Vain: Having or showing an excessively high opinion of one's appearance, abilities, or worth.
• Arrogant: Having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities.

Related Idioms

• Nổ như pháo: To "bang like a firecracker"; to boast or exaggerate wildly and noisily.
  • Cứ ngồi với nó là nghe nó nổ như pháo. (Whenever you sit with him, you hear him boasting wildly.)
• Khoác lác như Cuội: To "brag like Cuội" (a folkloric figure known for lying); to tell outrageous tall tales.
  • Câu chuyện của anh ấy nghe khoác lác như Cuội vậy. (His story sounds like an outrageous tall tale.)

1. (địa phương)
   • như khoác lác