Definition

1. Verb Phrase:
   • To provoke / to needle / to get on someone's nerves: The act of deliberately annoying, teasing, or irritating someone, often persistently, with the intention of making them angry or exasperated. It implies a targeted action meant to agitate a person's temper or patience.

Usage Examples

• Verb Phrase:
  • Đừng có trêu gan nó nữa, nó sắp nổi điên đấy. (Stop provoking him, he's about to get angry.)
  • Thằng bé cứ trêu gan con mèo bằng cách giật đuôi nó. (The boy kept needling the cat by pulling its tail.)
  • Cô ấy cố tình trêu gan tôi bằng những lời bình luận đó. (She deliberately got on my nerves with those comments.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase "trêu gan" carries a stronger connotation than simple teasing ("trêu chọc"). It focuses on the result of the action: stirring up anger or rage ("gan" implies liver/temper). It is often used when the provocation is persistent and risks causing a strong, angry reaction.

Variants and Related Words

• Trêu chọc (v): to tease, to joke around (can be lighter, less aggressive than "trêu gan").

  • Bọn trẻ thích trêu chọc nhau. (The children like to tease each other.)

• Chọc tức (v): to irritate, to provoke (very similar in meaning and strength to "trêu gan").

  • Anh ta chuyên đi chọc tức mọi người. (He specializes in irritating people.)

Synonyms

• Provoke: to stimulate or incite (someone) to feel a strong emotion, typically anger.
• Needle: to annoy or provoke someone by deliberate, persistent criticism or teasing.
• Irritate: to make someone annoyed or impatient.
• Vex: to make someone feel annoyed or frustrated.

Related Idioms

• Chọc gậy bánh xe: to stir up trouble, to provoke conflict (literally: to poke a stick into the wheel spokes).

  • Hắn ta chỉ giỏi chọc gậy bánh xe. (He is only good at stirring up trouble.)

• Bắt giận: to purposely make someone angry (a more direct synonym in certain contexts).

  • Nó nói vậy chỉ để bắt giận bạn thôi. (He said that just to make you angry.)