trở quẻ
Definition
- Verb (idiomatic):
- To turn hostile; to change one's attitude or behavior for the worse: Refers to a sudden, often unexpected, shift from a friendly, cooperative, or agreeable stance to a hostile, uncooperative, or negative one. It implies betrayal or a breach of expected conduct.
- To renege; to go back on one's word: Describes the act of breaking a promise or agreement, showing a lack of consistency or reliability.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Hợp đồng sắp ký, nhưng đối tác bỗng trở quẻ. (The contract was about to be signed, but the partner suddenly turned hostile.)
- Anh ta hứa sẽ giúp, nhưng cuối cùng lại trở quẻ. (He promised to help, but in the end, he reneged.)
- Đừng tin hắn, hắn hay trở quẻ lắm. (Don't trust him; he often goes back on his word.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is almost exclusively used in a figurative and negative sense to describe interpersonal or social behavior, not physical change.
- It often carries a connotation of deceit, fickleness, or untrustworthiness.
Variants and Related Words
- Giở quẻ (v): This is a direct variant with identical meaning and usage to "trở quẻ."
- Trở mặt (v): to turn one's face; to show a sudden change in attitude, often to a hostile one. Similar to "trở quẻ" but can be slightly more direct.
- Bội ước (v): to break a promise; to breach an agreement. More formal and specific to promises.
Synonyms
- To turn hostile: to become antagonistic.
- To renege: to go back on a commitment.
- To betray: to be disloyal.
- To flip-flop: to change one's position unpredictably (informal).
Related Idioms
- Thay lòng đổi dạ: to change one's heart and mind; to be inconstant in feelings or loyalty. This is a broader term for fickleness, while "trở quẻ" often implies a specific negative turn in actions or demeanor.