Definition

Adjective: * Shifty, double-faced, treacherous: Describes a person who is deceitful, ungrateful, and quick to betray or turn against someone, especially a benefactor. It implies a lack of loyalty and a readiness to change one's attitude or allegiance for personal gain.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Hắn là một kẻ sấp mặt, nhận được sự giúp đỡ rồi lại quay lưng phản bội. (He is a shifty/double-faced person; after receiving help, he turned his back and betrayed them.)
  • Đừng tin lời nó, đồ sấp mặt! (Don't believe its words, you treacherous ingrate!)
  • Hành động sấp mặt ấy khiến mọi người vô cùng phẫn nộ. (That treacherous/double-crossing action made everyone extremely angry.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "sấp mặt" is very strong and carries heavy moral condemnation. It is often used in contexts of anger, betrayal, or to express deep contempt for someone's character.
• It functions primarily as a predicate adjective or a noun of abuse (e.g., - you ingrate!).

Variants and Related Words

• Trở mặt (verb): To turn against someone, to show one's true (bad) colors. This is the action described by the state of being .
  • Nó đã trở mặt với người bạn thân nhất của mình. (He turned against his best friend.)
• Bội bạc (verb/adjective): To be ungrateful, to betray kindness. This is a close synonym focusing on ingratitude.
  • Hành động bội bạc đó không thể tha thứ. (That ungrateful/betraying act is unforgivable.)

Synonyms

• Phản trắc: Perfidious, treacherous.
• Giả dối: Deceitful, hypocritical.
• Vong ân bội nghĩa: To forget favors and break faith (idiom for extreme ingratitude).
• Hai mặt: Two-faced, duplicitous.

Related Idioms

• Quân sấp mặt!: A common exclamation of contempt, meaning "You treacherous ingrate!" or "You double-crosser!"
  • Quân sấp mặt! Mày dám phản tao? (You treacherous ingrate! How dare you betray me?)

adj

1. shifty, double-faced