Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Insolent, impudent, or rude: Describes a person, especially a younger one, who displays a disrespectful, arrogant, or overly familiar attitude towards elders or superiors. It implies a lack of proper manners and an offensive boldness.
   • Cocky or saucy: Can describe an impertinent or cheeky manner that oversteps the bounds of respect.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Đứa trẻ đó thật xấc lấc khi nói chuyện với người lớn. (That child is very insolent when talking to adults.)
  • Nó có thái độ xấc lấc, không biết tôn trọng ai. (He has an impudent attitude and doesn't respect anyone.)
  • Đừng có xấc lấc với cô giáo của con! (Don't be rude to your teacher!)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used to criticize behavior that violates hierarchical social norms, particularly the expected respect from the young towards the old or from subordinates towards superiors. It carries a strong negative judgment.

Variants and Related Words

• Hỗn xược (adj): A stronger, more severe synonym for insolent or impertinent.
• Lấc cấc (adj): A variant with a similar meaning, implying cheekiness or impudence.

Synonyms

• Insolent: Showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect.
• Impudent: Not showing due respect for another person; impertinent.
• Cheeky: Impudent or irreverent, typically in an endearing or amusing way (can be slightly less severe than ).
• Saucy: Impudent and disrespectful, especially in a playful or lively way.

Related Idioms

• While itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, the behavior it describes is central to proverbs about respect, such as the concept of "kính trên nhường dưới" (respect those above, yield to those below).