Definition

1. Noun:

   • A brat; a mischievous/rude child: Refers to a child, typically young, who is naughty, impish, or disrespectful in behavior.
   • A whippersnapper; a cheeky kid: Emphasizes the impertinent or insolent aspect of a young person.

2. Adjective:

   • Childish; puerile; bratty: Describes behavior, actions, or manners that are characteristic of a naughty, impudent child, often implying immaturity or foolishness.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Mấy đứa trẻ ranh đó lại trèo qua hàng rào vườn nhà tôi. (Those brats climbed over the fence into my garden again.)
  • Đừng nghe nó, nó chỉ là một đứa trẻ ranh. (Don't listen to him; he's just a whippersnapper.)

• Adjective:

  • Anh đừng có những hành động trẻ ranh như vậy nữa. (You should stop such childish behavior.)
  • Thái độ trẻ ranh của nó khiến mọi người khó chịu. (His bratty attitude annoys everyone.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in a scolding or disapproving tone. It carries a negative connotation, criticizing not just youth but specifically ill-mannered or impudent conduct associated with youth.

Variants and Related Words

• Trẻ con (n): Child. A neutral term for a child.
• Nghịch ngợm (adj): Mischievous, playful. Can describe behavior without the strong negative connotation of rudeness.
• Hỗn láo (adj): Rude, insolent. Focuses on the disrespectful aspect.

Synonyms

• Brat: A badly behaved child.
• Whippersnapper: A young and inexperienced person who is presumptuous.
• Urchin: A mischievous child, often one who is poorly dressed.
• Puerile (adj): Childishly silly and trivial.

Related Idioms

• While "trẻ ranh" itself is not commonly part of a fixed idiom, the concept is related to expressions that criticize immature behavior, such as:
  • Non choẹt: Very young and immature; green.

    • Nó còn non choẹt lắm, chưa hiểu chuyện đời. (He's still very green and doesn't understand the ways of the world.)