phụ lòng
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To betray someone's trust or good feelings: To fail to meet the expectations, kindness, or affection that someone has placed in you, resulting in disappointment or hurt.
- To be ungrateful or unfaithful to someone's goodwill: To act contrary to the sincere intentions, care, or hopes of another person.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Tôi không muốn phụ lòng tin của bố mẹ. (I do not want to betray my parents' trust.)
- Anh ấy đã phụ lòng người bạn tốt luôn giúp đỡ mình. (He was ungrateful to the good friend who always helped him.)
- Cô ấy cảm thấy mình đã phụ lòng kỳ vọng của thầy giáo. (She felt she had failed her teacher's expectations.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often carries a strong emotional and moral weight, implying a deep sense of letting down someone who has shown faith, love, or investment in you. It is commonly used in contexts of personal relationships, mentorship, and familial duty.
Variants and Related Words
- Làm phụ lòng (verb phrase): A synonymous form meaning "to cause [someone] to feel betrayed in their trust."
- Hành động của anh ta làm phụ lòng tất cả mọi người. (His actions betrayed the trust of everyone.)
Synonyms
- To let down: To fail to support or meet the expectations of.
- To disappoint: To fail to fulfill the hopes or expectations of.
- To betray (trust): To be disloyal to someone's confidence or faith.
Related Idioms
Phụ lòng mong đợi: To fail to live up to someone's hopes or anticipations.
- Cậu ấy phụ lòng mong đợi của cả đội. (He let down the hopes of the whole team.)
Phụ lòng tin cậy: To betray the confidence or trust placed in one.
- Việc đó là phụ lòng tin cậy của khách hàng. (That act betrays the clients' trust.)