trẻ ranh
Definition
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.
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.)