Definition

1. Verb:
   • To retort sharply; to snap back: To reply quickly and angrily in a brief, aggressive manner during an argument or dispute.
   • To exchange heated words; to bicker: To engage in a short, sharp verbal conflict where both parties speak harshly.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Cô ấy vặc lại ngay khi bị chỉ trích. (She snapped back immediately when criticized.)
  • Hai đứa trẻ vặc nhau về đồ chơi. (The two children bickered sharply over the toy.)

Advanced Usage

• The verb "vặc" is almost exclusively used to describe a specific, abrupt, and often rude style of verbal exchange. It implies a reaction that is not just a reply, but a hostile counter-attack in conversation.

Variants and Related Words

• Cãi nhau (v): to argue. This is a more general term for arguing, while "vặc" describes a sharper, quicker form of verbal sparring.
• Cáu (v/adj): to get irritated; irritable. This describes the emotional state that often leads to "vặc".

Synonyms

• To retort: to answer back, especially sharply.
• To snap: to say something quickly in an angry or irritated way.
• To bicker: to argue about unimportant things in a bad-tempered way.

Related Idioms

• Vặc lại: to talk back; to answer defiantly. This phrasal form emphasizes the act of defiantly snapping back at someone, often an authority figure.
  • Đứa bé không dám vặc lại mẹ. (The child did not dare talk back to his mother.)