Definition

1. Verb:
   • To peck: To strike or pick up with a beak, especially in small, repeated motions. Often used for birds.
   • To nibble: To bite or eat something with small, gentle bites. Commonly used for fish biting at bait or animals eating slowly.
   • To pick at: To eat food slowly, without appetite, taking only small pieces.
   • To preen: To clean and arrange feathers with the beak (used specifically for birds).
   • To make snide/cutting remarks: To criticize someone in a sly, malicious, or indirect way.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Chim sẻ đang rỉa những hạt thóc trên sân. (The sparrow is pecking at the rice grains in the yard.)
  • Cá nhỏ rỉa mồi nhưng không cắn câu. (The small fish nibbled at the bait but did not take the hook.)
  • Nó chỉ ngồi rỉa cơm trong bát. (He just sat there picking at the rice in his bowl.)
  • Con vẹt đang rỉa lông cho sạch sẽ. (The parrot is preening its feathers to clean them.)
  • Đừng có rỉa nhau như thế, hãy nói chuyện thẳng thắn. (Don't make such snide remarks about each other; talk directly.)

Advanced Usage

• "rỉa rói": To criticize or pick on someone persistently and in a nitpicking, harsh manner.
  • Bà ấy suốt ngày rỉa rói lỗi lầm của con dâu. (She spends all day nitpicking her daughter-in-law's mistakes.)

Variants and Related Words

• Mổ (v): To peck, but often implies a stronger, more forceful action than "rỉa."
• Gặm (v): To gnaw, to chew on something persistently.
• Ngoạm (v): To take a large bite or snap at something (much more forceful than "rỉa").

Synonyms

• Peck: (for birds)
• Nibble: (for fish, small animals)
• Pick at: (for eating without appetite)
• Preen: (for birds grooming)
• Snide: (for malicious remarks)

Related Idioms

• Rỉa xương: Literally "to pick at the bones." Figuratively, to analyze or criticize every tiny detail, often after the main part is gone.
  • Vụ án đã xong, báo chí vẫn còn rỉa xương. (The case is over, but the press is still picking at the bones.)

verb

1. to peck; to strike with the beak (of fish) to nibble (at) the bait