thơn thớt
Definition
- Adjective:
- Unctuously smooth or slick: Describes speech or behavior that is excessively and superficially pleasant, flattering, or amiable, often to conceal insincerity, malice, or deceitful intentions.
- Disingenuously affable: Refers to a manner that is overly friendly and smooth on the surface but is hypocritical or treacherous underneath.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Anh ta lúc nào cũng thơn thớt nói cười với sếp. (He is always unctuously smiling and talking with the boss.)
- Đừng tin vào vẻ ngoài thơn thớt của hắn. (Don't trust his slick, disingenuous exterior.)
- Bề ngoài thơn thớt, nhưng trong lòng đầy toan tính. (Outwardly smooth-talking, but inwardly full of schemes.)
Advanced Usage
- The word is almost exclusively used to describe a deceitful or two-faced quality in a person's demeanor, particularly their speech and facial expressions (like smiling). It carries a strong negative connotation of hypocrisy.
Variants and Related Words
- Thớt lợt (adj): A less common variant with a similar meaning of being slickly and deceitfully pleasant.
Synonyms
- Unctuous: Excessively flattering or ingratiating.
- Slick: Deceptively smooth and facile.
- Disingenuous: Not candid or sincere, typically by pretending to know less than one does.
- Two-faced: Insincere and deceitful.
Related Idioms
- Thơn thớt nói cười: To talk and laugh in a slick, deceitfully amiable manner. This is the most common collocation for the word.
- Cô ấy thơn thớt nói cười với mọi người nhưng hay nói xấu sau lưng. (She talks and laughs unctuously with everyone but often gossips behind their backs.)