Definition

1. Noun:

   • Deceitful speech; cunning words: Language that is cleverly crafted to deceive, mislead, or manipulate, often by being superficially plausible or eloquent while hiding a dishonest or malicious intent.
   • Artful but insincere talk: Speech characterized by guile and cleverness, where the speaker is skilled in using words but is untrustworthy or duplicitous.

2. Adjective (attributive use):

   • Describing a person as deceitfully eloquent: Used to characterize a person who is clever or skillful in speech but is sly, cunning, or hypocritical in nature.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Đừng tin vào những lời xảo ngôn của hắn. (Do not believe his cunning words.)
  • Chính trị gia đó nổi tiếng với những màn xảo ngôn. (That politician is famous for his deceitful speech.)

• Adjective (attributive):

  • Anh ta là một kẻ xảo ngôn nguy hiểm. (He is a dangerously deceitful speaker.)
  • Cô ấy cảnh giác với những đối tượng xảo ngôn. (She is wary of artful but insincere talkers.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "xảo ngôn" is often used in literary, formal, or critical contexts to condemn manipulative rhetoric. It implies a moral judgment, suggesting the speaker's intelligence is misused for unethical persuasion.

Variants and Related Words

• Xảo quyệt (adj): cunning, crafty, sly (describing a person's general character, not just speech).
• Ngôn từ xảo trá (n phrase): deceitful/fraudulent language (a more explicit synonym).
• Lời nói dối trá (n phrase): lying words (focuses more on falsehood than artful manipulation).

Synonyms

• Deceitful speech
• Guileful talk
• Artful duplicity
• Slick talk (informal, with a negative connotation)

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Xảo ngôn xảo ngữ: An intensified phrase meaning extremely cunning and deceptive words. It emphasizes the artful and intricate nature of the deceit.
  • Mắc bẫy của những xảo ngôn xảo ngữ. (To fall into the trap of slick and deceitful words.)