tỉnh bơ
Definition
- Adjective (informal):
- To act indifferent / to feign nonchalance: To deliberately appear calm, unbothered, or unaffected, often while ignoring something one should pay attention to or react to. It implies a pretense of cool composure in a situation that typically warrants concern, surprise, or action.
- To turn a deaf ear / to remain unmoved: To be willfully unresponsive to advice, criticism, or a situation, showing no sign of being perturbed or influenced.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Mọi người đều lo lắng, chỉ có nó là tỉnh bơ. (Everyone was worried, only he remained completely unruffled.)
- Tôi nhắc nó nhiều lần, nhưng nó cứ tỉnh bơ. (I reminded him many times, but he just acted indifferent.)
- Trước những lời chỉ trích, anh ấy vẫn tỉnh bơ như không. (In the face of criticism, he still acted as if nothing was wrong.)
Advanced Usage
- The term often carries a slightly negative or critical connotation, suggesting the person's indifference is inappropriate, irresponsible, or insensitive to the context.
- It describes a behavioral attitude more than an emotional state, emphasizing the outward display of calmness.
Variants and Related Words
- Điềm nhiên (adj): Calm and composed. This is a more neutral or positive term for genuine composure, without the connotation of deliberate ignoring.
- Thản nhiên (adj): Nonchalant, undisturbed. Similar to "điềm nhiên," it often suggests genuine inner peace rather than feigned indifference.
- Lãnh đạm (adj): Indifferent, cold, apathetic. Focuses more on a lack of interest or emotion rather than a pretense of calm.
Synonyms
- Nonchalant: Feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed.
- Unperturbed: Not concerned or worried.
- Unfazed: Not disconcerted or perturbed.
- Deaf to: Deliberately refusing to listen or pay attention.
Related Idioms
- While "tỉnh bơ" itself is an idiomatic adjective, it is used in phrases like:
- Cứ tỉnh bơ như không: To keep acting as if nothing is happening.
- Cả phòng đang hỗn loạn, nó vẫn cứ tỉnh bơ như không ngồi đọc sách. (The whole room was in chaos, yet he kept sitting there reading a book as if nothing was wrong.)