Definition

1. Verb:
   • To scold; to reprove: To express disapproval or criticism of someone's behavior or actions, typically in a sharp, stern, or mildly angry manner. It implies a corrective intent, often from a position of authority or concern.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Mẹ quở con vì không nghe lời. (The mother scolded her child for being disobedient.)
  • Thầy giáo quở học sinh lười biếng. (The teacher reproved the lazy student.)
  • Ông ấy bị quở là làm việc cẩu thả. (He was scolded for working carelessly.)

Advanced Usage

• "quở mắng": to scold and shout at; a stronger, more direct form of reprimand.

  • Bố mẹ không nên quở mắng con cái trước mặt người ngoài. (Parents should not scold their children in front of outsiders.)

• "quở trách": to blame and reproach; combines criticism with a sense of assigning fault.

  • Cô ấy quở trách bản thân vì sai lầm đó. (She reproached herself for that mistake.)

Variants and Related Words

• Quở quang (adj, variant): This is an archaic or dialectal variant meaning clumsy or awkward, not directly related to the verb "quở" (to scold). It is often seen in the compound "quở quạng."

Synonyms

• Mắng: to tell off, to yell at (often more direct and loud).
• Trách: to blame, to reproach (can be less angry, more about expressing disappointment).
• La: to shout at (can be for any reason, not necessarily corrective).

Related Idioms

• Quở phật, quở ma: (Literally: to scold Buddha, to scold ghosts) An idiom describing a person who scolds and complains about everyone and everything indiscriminately.
  • Tính ông ấy hay quở phật, quở ma. (He has a habit of complaining and scolding everyone.)

verb

1. to scold; to reprove