quở quạng

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To praise excessively or with superstitious caution: The act of complimenting someone, especially a child, in a way that is believed by some superstitious people to risk attracting bad luck or the "evil eye." It implies expressing admiration that might jinx the person's good fortune or health.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Đứa bé mới sinh bụ bẫm, bà nội dặn đừng khen nhiều kẻo bị quở quạng. (The newborn baby is chubby; the grandmother warned not to praise it too much lest it be jinxed by excessive praise.)
  • Nhiều người quở quạng đứa trẻ thông minh, mẹ nó lo lắng. (Many people praised the intelligent child excessively, making its mother worried.)

Advanced Usage

• The concept is deeply tied to cultural superstition. The fear is that spirits or fate might hear the praise and act to undermine the praised attribute (e.g., a healthy child might fall ill, a successful person might fail).

Variants and Related Words

• Quở (v): to scold, to reprimand. Note: While "quở" alone means to scold, the compound "quở quạng" has a distinct, almost opposite meaning related to praise.
• Quở trách (v): to reproach, to blame.

Synonyms

• To jinx by praising: To cause misfortune through excessive compliments.
• To tempt fate (by praising): To invite bad luck by speaking too positively about a situation.

Related Cultural Concept

• "Evil eye": While not a direct translation, "quở quạng" operates within a similar folk belief system where excessive admiration or envy can bring about harm to the subject of praise.