tẽn tò
Definition
- Adjective:
- Embarrassed, abashed, or crestfallen: The primary meaning of "tẽn tò" describes a state of feeling awkward, sheepish, or disconcerted, typically due to making a mistake, being proven wrong, or having one's expectations or boasts deflated. It conveys a sense of being caught off guard and losing one's composure.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Nghe mọi người cười, nó cảm thấy rất tẽn tò. (Hearing everyone laugh, he felt very embarrassed.)
- Cô ấy đưa ra nhận xét sai và ngồi xuống một cách tẽn tò. (She made an incorrect comment and sat down in a crestfallen manner.)
- Kế hoạch của hắn thất bại, để lại hắn tẽn tò không biết nói gì. (His plan failed, leaving him abashed and not knowing what to say.)
Advanced Usage
- The word "tẽn tò" is often used to describe a sudden shift from confidence to embarrassment. It is frequently encountered in narratives about social blunders, failed attempts to show off, or situations where one is corrected publicly.
Variants and Related Words
- Tẽn (adj): A shorter, more colloquial form with the same core meaning of being embarrassed or crestfallen. "Tẽn tò" is considered an intensified or more descriptive version.
- Hắn chỉ biết cười tẽn. (He could only give an embarrassed smile.)
Synonyms
- Abashed: Embarrassed or disconcerted.
- Crestfallen: Sad and disappointed.
- Sheepish: Showing embarrassment from shame or a lack of confidence.
- Discomfited: Made uneasy or embarrassed.
Related Idioms
Mặt tẽn tò: To have an embarrassed or crestfallen face.
- Cậu bé đứng đó với mặt tẽn tò. (The boy stood there with an embarrassed face.)
Tẽn tò lui gót: To withdraw or retreat in embarrassment (literally, to retreat with embarrassment).
- Sau lời bình luận sắc sảo của cô giáo, cậu học sinh tẽn tò lui gót về chỗ ngồi. (After the teacher's sharp comment, the student retreated to his seat in embarrassment.)