thị phi
Definition
- Noun:
- Gossip; backbiting talk; malicious talk: Refers to critical, judgmental, or slanderous talk about others, often based on rumor or speculation rather than fact. It implies talk that stirs up trouble or damages reputations.
- Right and wrong; disputes over right and wrong: Refers to arguments, conflicts, or judgments concerning what is correct and incorrect, just and unjust, in a situation. This meaning focuses on the substance of a dispute rather than just the talk about it.
Usage Examples
- Noun (Gossip):
- Cô ấy không quan tâm đến những lời thị phi của hàng xóm. (She pays no attention to the neighbors' gossip.)
- Anh ấy rất mệt mỏi với chuyện thị phi nơi công sở. (He is very tired of the office backbiting.)
- Noun (Right and wrong):
- Vụ việc phức tạp, khó mà phân định được thị phi. (The matter is complicated; it's hard to distinguish right from wrong.)
- Đừng nhúng tay vào chuyện thị phi của người khác. (Don't get involved in other people's disputes.)
Advanced Usage
- "Chuyện thị phi" / "Điều thị phi": A matter/issue of gossip or dispute. This phrase explicitly frames the topic as one that invites judgmental talk or debate.
- Việc đó đã trở thành một chuyện thị phi lớn trong làng. (That incident became a major topic of gossip in the village.)
Variants and Related Words
- Thị phi can function as a stative verb in classical or formal contexts, meaning "to criticize as right or wrong; to judge."
- Không nên thị phi người khác một cách hồ đồ. (One should not judge others recklessly.)
Synonyms
- Gossip: Rumor or talk of a personal, sensational, or intimate nature.
- Backbiting: Malicious talk about someone who is not present.
- Talebearing: The act of spreading gossip or rumors.
- Dispute: A disagreement or argument.
- Controversy: Prolonged public disagreement or heated discussion.
Related Idioms
- Lời ra tiếng vào: Literally "words out, words in." This idiom describes a situation of constant, conflicting gossip and criticism swirling around a person or event. It is very close in meaning to "thị phi" as gossip.
- Vì quyết định đó, anh ấy phải nghe đủ lời ra tiếng vào. (Because of that decision, he had to endure all sorts of gossip and criticism.)
- Chuyện thị phi: As mentioned in Advanced Usage, this is a common collocation meaning "a gossip-worthy matter."