tâng
Definition
- Verb:
- To toss/throw upwards: To propel an object, especially a ball, into the air with a light, upward motion, often repeatedly.
- To flatter/To praise excessively: To compliment someone in an exaggerated or insincere way, often to gain favor.
Usage Examples
- Verb (to toss):
- Cậu bé đang tâng quả bóng trên chân. (The boy is juggling the ball on his foot.)
- Cô ấy tâng quả cầu lông lên cao rồi đánh. (She tossed the shuttlecock up high and then hit it.)
- Verb (to flatter):
- Anh ta chỉ biết tâng bốc sếp. (He only knows how to flatter the boss.)
- Đừng tâng tôi lên nữa, tôi biết khả năng của mình mà. (Stop praising me so much, I know my own abilities.)
Advanced Usage
- "tâng bốc": This is the most common compound, meaning to flatter or adulate excessively.
- Họ tâng bốc lẫn nhau chẳng vì lý do gì. (They flatter each other for no reason.)
Variants and Related Words
- Tâng hứng (v): Often used in sports like volleyball or football (soccer) to mean "to volley" or "to juggle," keeping the ball in the air.
- Cầu thủ tâng hứng bóng trước khi sút. (The player juggled the ball before shooting.)
Synonyms
- To toss/To juggle: To keep an object in the air with repeated light touches.
- To flatter/To adulate: To praise someone excessively, often without sincerity.
Related Idioms
- Tâng nhau lên: To engage in mutual, excessive praise; to "scratch each other's backs."
- Trong buổi gặp đó, họ chỉ tâng nhau lên. (During that meeting, they just engaged in mutual flattery.)