tiếc lục tham hồng
Definition
Idiom: - To regret the green and covet the red: A classical Vietnamese idiom describing a state of lingering regret and insatiable desire, particularly for beautiful women or attractive things. It conveys the idea of someone who, even while possessing something lovely (symbolized by "green"), still yearns for another beauty (symbolized by "red"), leading to perpetual dissatisfaction and longing.
Usage Examples
- Idiom:
- Anh ta lúc nào cũng tiếc lục tham hồng, có người yêu rồi vẫn nhìn người khác. (He always regrets the green and covets the red; even with a girlfriend, he still looks at others.)
- Tâm lý tiếc lục tham hồng khiến anh không bao giờ hài lòng với những gì mình đang có. (The mentality of regretting the green and coveting the red prevents him from ever being satisfied with what he has.)
Advanced Usage
- This idiom is derived from classical Sino-Vietnamese imagery, where "lục" (green) and "hồng" (red) are poetic symbols for different beauties or desirable things. It is used in literary or formal contexts to critique greed, fickleness, or a lack of contentment.
Variants and Related Words
- Tham lam (adj): Greedy, avaricious.
- Tính tham lam của hắn không có giới hạn. (His greed knows no bounds.)
- Luyến tiếc (v): To regret, to feel nostalgic or reluctant to part with.
- Cô ấy luyến tiếc quá khứ. (She regrets the past.)
Synonyms
- To be never satisfied: To always want more.
- To covet what one cannot have: To desire things that belong to others.
- Fickleness in desire: Inconstancy in what one wants.
Related Idioms
- Được voi đòi tiên: Literally "to get an elephant and demand a fairy"; meaning to be insatiably greedy, to ask for too much after receiving something already good.
- Đừng có được voi đòi tiên, hãy biết đủ đi. (Don't be insatiably greedy; learn to be content.)
- Nước mắt chảy xuôi: Literally "tears flow downstream"; meaning one naturally favors or longs for what is new or ahead, not what is past or behind.