trém mép
Definition
- Adjective (Colloquial, often derogatory):
- Glib-tongued / Smooth-tongued: Describes a person who speaks very fluently, easily, and persuasively, often in a way that is perceived as insincere, boastful, or overly clever with words.
- Lippy / Cheeky: Can imply a tendency to talk back or speak in a disrespectfully bold or impudent manner.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Đừng nghe nó, nó chỉ là đứa trém mép thôi. (Don't listen to him; he's just glib-tongued.)
- Thằng bé trém mép, nói chuyện với người lớn mà không biết sợ. (That boy is lippy, talking to adults without any fear.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is informal and carries a negative connotation, suggesting the speaker doubts the truthfulness or respectfulness of the talkative person. It is often used to criticize someone who is all talk and no substance.
Variants and Related Words
- Bẻm mép (adj): A direct synonym with identical meaning and usage.
- Lẻo mép (adj): Similar, meaning talkative or gossipy.
- Khéo nói (adj): Skilled at speaking (can be neutral or positive, unlike ).
Synonyms
- Glib: Speaking readily but with superficial thought or sincerity.
- Smooth-tongued: Persuasive in speech, often deceptively so.
- Cheeky: Impudently bold; disrespectful in speech.
Related Idioms
- While not a direct idiom, the concept is related to the English idiom "to have the gift of the gab", though that idiom is less negative than . A closer idiom might be "all talk and no action" or describing someone as a "smooth talker" in a suspicious context.