trí trá
Definition
- Adjective:
- Deceitful; treacherous; crafty: Describes a person, behavior, or nature characterized by cunning dishonesty, trickery, and a lack of sincerity. It implies a deliberate intent to mislead or betray through clever schemes.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Anh ta là một kẻ trí trá, không bao giờ nói sự thật. (He is a deceitful person who never tells the truth.)
- Đừng tin vào những lời đường mật và hành động trí trá của hắn. (Do not believe his sweet words and treacherous actions.)
- Bản chất trí trá của tên lừa đảo cuối cùng cũng bị phơi bày. (The crafty nature of the swindler was finally exposed.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "trí trá" is often used in formal or literary contexts to describe profound moral failing. It carries a stronger condemnatory tone than more common words for lying, suggesting a deep-seated, calculating dishonesty.
Variants and Related Words
Gian trá (adj): deceitful, fraudulent. A close synonym, sometimes used interchangeably.
- Âm mưu gian trá của hắn đã thất bại. (His fraudulent scheme failed.)
Xảo trá (adj): cunning, crafty, deceitful. Emphasizes cleverness in deception.
- Lời biện hộ nghe thật xảo trá. (The defense sounded utterly cunning.)
Synonyms
- Deceitful: guilty of or involving deception.
- Treacherous: guilty of or involving betrayal of trust.
- Crafty: clever at achieving one's aims by indirect or deceitful methods.
- Perfidious: deceitful and untrustworthy (formal/literary).
Related Idioms
Mặt người dạ trá: Literally "a human face with a deceitful heart"; meaning a two-faced or hypocritical person.
- Hắn ta là kẻ mặt người dạ trá. (He is a two-faced person.)
Khẩu Phật tâm xà: Literally "mouth of Buddha, heart of a snake"; meaning someone who speaks kindly but harbors malicious intent. This idiom relates closely to the concept of "trí trá".
- Cảnh giác với những kẻ khẩu Phật tâm xà. (Beware of those with honeyed words and malicious hearts.)