trè
Definition
- Adjective:
- Capricious; fickle; whimsical: Describes a person, especially a child, whose moods, desires, or behavior are unpredictable and change suddenly without obvious reason.
- Unstable; changeable: Can describe a temperament or disposition that is not steady or constant.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Đứa trẻ này rất trè, lúc thích lúc không. (This child is very capricious, liking something one moment and not the next.)
- Tính nó trè lắm, đừng tin những lời hứa của nó. (His temperament is very fickle; don't trust his promises.)
Advanced Usage
- The word "trè" is considered somewhat literary or old-fashioned in modern Vietnamese. It is primarily used to describe human character or temperament, not objects or situations.
Variants and Related Words
- Trẻ trè (adj): A reduplicative form that emphasizes the capricious nature, often used for young children.
- Bé mới hai tuổi nên còn trẻ trè lắm. (The baby is only two years old so is still very whimsical.)
Synonyms
- Thất thường: Unpredictable, changeable.
- Đỏng đảnh: Coy, capricious (often used for women or children).
- Hay thay đổi: Prone to change.
Related Idioms
- Tính trè như mèo: (To have) a temperament as fickle as a cat. This idiom compares a person's unpredictable nature to the perceived indecisiveness of a cat.
- Nó có tính trè như mèo, đừng bận tâm làm gì. (He has a temperament as fickle as a cat; don't bother with it.)