xẵng
Definition
- Adverb (Phó từ):
- Rudely, curtly, sharply: Used to describe a manner of speaking that is abrupt, harsh, and often impolite, showing irritation or displeasure.
- Excessively salty or pungent: Used to describe a taste, especially of fish sauce (nước mắm), that is overly salty or has a sharp, unpleasant pungency.
Usage Examples
- As an adverb (manner of speaking):
- Anh ta trả lời xẵng. (He answered curtly.)
- Đừng nói xẵng với tôi như thế! (Don't speak to me so sharply!)
- As an adverb (describing taste):
- Món này nước mắm xẵng quá. (This dish has fish sauce that is too pungent/salty.)
Advanced Usage
- "Xẵng giọng" / "Xẵng lời": To speak in a curt/sharp tone; to snap at someone.
- Cô ấy xẵng giọng khi bị chất vấn. (She snapped when questioned.)
- The word "xẵng" often implies a negative reaction from the speaker due to annoyance, anger, or impatience. It is not a neutral description of speech.
Variants and Related Words
- Xẵng xẵng (adv): An intensified form, meaning "very curtly/rudely" or "very pungent."
- Nó cãi lại mẹ xẵng xẵng. (He talked back to his mother very rudely.)
- Gắt (adj/adv): Sharp, harsh, irritable. Can be similar in context when describing speech or taste.
- Cộc lốc (adj/adv): Curt, blunt, laconic. Focuses more on brevity and lack of courtesy.
Synonyms
- For speech: Cộc lốc (bluntly), gắt gỏng (irritably), thô lỗ (rudely).
- For taste: Mặn gắt (acutely salty), gắt (sharp/harsh).
Related Phrases
- Nói xẵng: To speak curtly/rudely.
- Cô ấy hay nói xẵng khi mệt mỏi. (She often speaks curtly when tired.)
- Giọng xẵng: A curt/sharp tone of voice.
- Anh ấy dùng giọng xẵng để từ chối. (He used a curt tone to refuse.)
Related Idioms
- Mặt xẵng: (Less common) Can describe a face that looks stern, displeased, or unfriendly, often matching a curt tone.
- Nghe xong, ông ấy giữ mặt xẵng. (After listening, he kept a stern face.)
adv
-
rudely
