rợ
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- Savage; barbarian: A derogatory historical term for peoples or tribes considered uncivilized, primitive, or foreign by the speaker's culture.
- Small, tough cord: A thin, durable string or cord, often used for binding.
Adjective:
- Gaudy; loud (color): Describes a color that is excessively bright, garish, or glaring, and therefore lacking in taste or subtlety.
Usage Examples
Noun (savage/barbarian):
- Lịch sử ghi lại các cuộc xâm lược của rợ từ phương Bắc. (History records invasions by barbarians from the North.)
- Họ bị gọi là rợ vì phong tục khác biệt. (They were called savages because of their different customs.)
Noun (cord):
- Người ta dùng sợi rợ để buộc chân gà. (People use a piece of cord to tie the chicken's feet.)
Adjective (color):
- Cái áo đó có màu rợ quá, không hợp. (That shirt has a too gaudy color, it's not suitable.)
- Tranh của anh ấy đôi khi bị chê là dùng màu rợ. (His paintings are sometimes criticized for using loud colors.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "rợ" as "savage/barbarian" is archaic and highly pejorative. Its modern use is primarily in historical contexts or to strongly condemn perceived brutal behavior, such as in "rợ phát-xít" (fascist savages).
- The adjectival use for color is subjective but commonly understood to criticize a lack of aesthetic refinement.
Variants and Related Words
- Rờ rợ (adj): A reduplicated form that slightly softens the meaning, often describing something that is unsettling, eerie, or creepy rather than purely gaudy.
- Không gian tối om, cảm giác rờ rợ. (The space was pitch dark, giving an eerie feeling.)
Synonyms
- Barbarian, savage (noun).
- Cord, string, twine (noun).
- Garish, loud, flashy, tasteless (adjective, for color).
Related Idioms
- While not a common idiom, the noun can be used in figurative, condemnatory phrases like "hành động như rợ" (to act like savages), implying extreme cruelty or lack of civilization.