tinh ranh

tinh ranh

Một con cáo tinh ranh lẻn vào chuồng gà.

Definition
  1. Adjective:
    • Cunning / Shrewd: Possessing sharp intelligence and keen perception, often used to describe someone, especially a child, who is clever in a playful or slightly mischievous way.
    • Sly / Crafty: Showing cleverness in a way that involves trickery or deception, though not necessarily with malicious intent.
Usage Examples
  • Adjective:
    • Đứa bé đó rất tinh ranh, biết giấu kẹo đi chỗ khác. (That child is very cunning, knowing how to hide the candy elsewhere.)
    • Nó trả lời câu hỏi một cách tinh ranh khiến mọi người đều cười. (He answered the question in a sly way that made everyone laugh.)
    • Con mèo có ánh mắt tinh ranh, như thể nó đang lập kế hoạch gì đó. (The cat has a crafty look in its eyes, as if it's planning something.)
Advanced Usage
  • The word often carries a tone of amused admiration when describing children or animals, highlighting their quick-wittedness and alertness.
  • It can describe a clever solution or action that is resourceful and slightly cheeky.
    • Lời thoại tinh ranh của nhân vật làm phim thêm hấp dẫn. (The character's witty dialogue makes the film more engaging.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Tinh (adj): Sharp, acute, refined (e.g., - sharp-eyed).
  • Ranh (adj, less common alone): Often implies being street-smart or slick.
  • Tinh khôn (adj): Wise, intelligent (generally more serious and positive than ).
Synonyms
  • Cunning: Having or showing skill in achieving one's ends by deceit or evasion.
  • Shrewd: Having or showing sharp powers of judgment; astute.
  • Sly: Having or showing a cunning and deceitful nature.
  • Crafty: Clever at achieving one's aims by indirect or deceitful methods.
  • Wily: Skilled at gaining an advantage, especially deceitfully.
Related Idioms and Phrases
  • Tinh ranh như cáo: As sly as a fox.
    • Đừng tin hắn, hắn tinh ranh như cáo ấy. (Don't trust him; he's as sly as a fox.)
  • Mặt mũi tinh ranh: Having a face that looks clever and mischievous.
    • Cậu bé có khuôn mặt tinh ranh, lúc nào cũng như đang nghĩ kế. (The boy has a clever-looking face, always seeming to be plotting something.)