Definition

1. Verb:
   • To provoke, to tease in an aggravating way: The primary meaning is to intentionally annoy, irritate, or provoke someone, often in a persistent or mocking manner that causes frustration or anger. It implies a deliberate act to get a negative reaction.
   • To defy, to taunt: Can also describe an action that seems to mock or defy a force, situation, or fate, often leading to a sense of powerlessness in the person being provoked.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Nó cố tình trêu ngươi tôi bằng cách hát bài tôi ghét. (He intentionally provoked me by singing the song I hate.)
  • Cơn đau cứ trêu ngươi, lúc đến lúc đi. (The pain keeps taunting me, coming and going.)
  • Hành động đó của anh ta như trêu ngươi số phận. (His action was like defying fate.)

Advanced Usage

• Used to describe fate or circumstance: Often used in literary or poetic contexts to describe how fate, luck, or life seems to be cruelly toying with someone.
  • Ông trời khéo trêu ngươi người lương thiện. (Heaven seems to enjoy taunting honest people.)
• Implies a power imbalance: The action typically comes from a position of perceived safety or advantage over the target, who feels helpless to stop it.

Variants and Related Words

• Trêu (verb): to tease, to joke (generally lighter, less aggravating than "trêu ngươi").
  • Anh ấy thích trêu em gái mình. (He likes to tease his younger sister.)
• Chọc tức (verb): to provoke, to irritate (very close in meaning, but can be more direct and less poetic than "trêu ngươi").
  • Đừng chọc tức con chó. (Don't provoke the dog.)
• Khiêu khích (verb): to挑衅, to incite (often used in more serious, confrontational, or political contexts).
  • Lời nói đó có tính chất khiêu khích. (That statement is incendiary.)

Synonyms

• Khiêu khích: to挑衅, to incite.
• Chọc ghẹo: to tease, to poke fun at (can be playful or annoying).
• Chọc tức: to irritate, to provoke.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

(Note: As a single verb, "trêu ngươi" does not commonly form phrasal verbs. Its meaning is contained within the single term.)

Related Idioms

• Trêu ngươi như trêu mèo: To tease/provoke someone relentlessly (like teasing a cat). Implies persistent, aggravating behavior.
  • Nó cứ trêu ngươi tôi như trêu mèo vậy. (He kept provoking me relentlessly.)
• Trêu ngươi tạo hóa: To defy/taunt the Creator (a literary expression for challenging fate or nature).
  • Hành động đó là trêu ngươi tạo hóa. (That act is defying the Creator.)

verb

1. to provoke