Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Unreliable, untruthful, or insincere: Describes a person who frequently lies, exaggerates, or cannot be trusted to tell the truth or act honestly.
   • Dishonest or deceitful in behavior: Refers to actions or conduct that are not straightforward, genuine, or proper.

2. Verb (used in specific phrases):

   • To lie or talk nonsense: The act of saying things that are not true or speaking irresponsibly. This meaning is almost exclusively used in the compound phrase "nói xạo".

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Thằng ấy xạo lắm. (That guy is very unreliable/He's such a liar.)
  • Đừng tin nó, nó xạo lắm. (Don't trust him, he's very dishonest.)
  • Chơi xạo thì ai chơi cùng. (If you play dishonestly, no one will play with you.)

• Verb (in "nói xạo"):

  • Nó hay nói xạo. (He often lies/talks nonsense.)
  • Đừng nói xạo nữa! (Stop lying!)

Advanced Usage

• "Xạo ke" (or "xạo kê"): A more emphatic or slang variant meaning "a huge/big lie" or describing someone as a "big liar".
  • Câu chuyện đó xạo ke! (That story is a big fat lie!)
• The word often carries a colloquial, slightly informal, and critical tone. It is commonly used in Southern Vietnamese dialects.

Variants and Related Words

• Nói xạo (v): To lie, to tell fibs. This is the most common verbal usage.
• Xạo xự (adj/adv): An extended form emphasizing deceitful or fake behavior.
  • Cái vẻ mặt xạo xự đó! (That fake expression!)
• Xạo lờ (adj): Similar to "xạo", meaning deceitful or untruthful.

Synonyms

• Nói dối (v): To lie. (More standard/neutral than "nói xạo").
• Dối trá (adj): Deceitful, fraudulent. (More formal/literary).
• Không đáng tin (adj phrase): Unreliable, not trustworthy.
• Bịa chuyện (v): To fabricate stories.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Nói xạo (v): As mentioned, this is the primary phrasal verb, meaning "to lie".
  • Nó nói xạo là nó đã làm bài tập. (He lied that he had done his homework.)

Related Idioms

• Xạo như Cuội: "To lie like Cuội". An idiom comparing someone to the mythical figure Thằng Cuội, known for telling lies in Vietnamese folklore. It means to be a habitual or outrageous liar.
  • Đừng nghe nó, nó xạo như Cuội đấy. (Don't listen to him, he lies like a rug/is a pathological liar.)

adj

1. unreliable