Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Frowning, scowling: Describes a facial expression characterized by tightly drawn or knitted eyebrows, often indicating anger, displeasure, severity, or a fierce, stern look.
   • Grim, sullen: Can describe a persistently gloomy, stern, or ill-tempered appearance.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Anh ấy nhìn tôi với vẻ mặt quằm quặm. (He looked at me with a scowling face.)
  • Sau khi nghe tin, ông ấy ngồi im với cái mặt quằm quặm. (After hearing the news, he sat silently with a grim face.)
  • Đừng có cái bộ mặt quằm quặm như thế! (Don't have such a sullen look on your face!)

Advanced Usage

• "nhìn quằm quặm": to glare, to glower.
  • Bà ấy nhìn quằm quặm vào đứa trẻ nghịch ngợm. (She glared at the mischievous child.)
• Used to intensify the description of an angry or unfriendly expression, often implying a degree of menace or harshness.

Variants and Related Words

• Quạu (adj., informal): annoyed, irritated, in a bad mood. Less intense and more about temper than facial expression.
  • Anh ta trông hơi quạu. (He looks a bit annoyed.)
• Cau có (adj.): frowning, looking worried or displeased. Similar but may imply worry more than fierceness.
  • Mặt mày cau có. (A frowning face.)

Synonyms

• Cáu kỉnh: irritable, grumpy (describes temperament more than a momentary look).
• Hầm hầm: fuming, seething with anger (implies contained anger).
• Gắt gỏng: snappish, irritable (often describes tone or short-tempered behavior).

Related Phrases

• Mặt mày quằm quặm: (Idiomatic) Having a scowling, grim-faced appearance.
  • Cả ngày hôm nay anh ấy mặt mày quằm quặm. (He has been grim-faced all day today.)

Notes on Usage

• Quằm quặm is primarily used in spoken Vietnamese and descriptive writing. It is a vivid, somewhat informal adjective that paints a clear picture of a negative, harsh facial expression.
• It is stronger than simply "cau có" (frowning) and often carries connotations of being intimidating, fierce, or mean-looking.

1. Frowning, scowling
   • Mặt quằm quặm
     Frowning (scowling) face