xấu dạ
Definition
- Adjective:
- Having a weak or sensitive stomach; prone to indigestion: Describes a person whose digestive system is easily upset, often experiencing discomfort, bloating, or indigestion after eating.
- Having a bad/nasty disposition; mean-spirited: Figuratively describes a person with an unpleasant, malicious, or spiteful character.
Usage Examples
Adjective (Physical):
- Tôi hơi xấu dạ, nên không dám ăn đồ cay. (I have a bit of a weak stomach, so I don't dare eat spicy food.)
- Bà ấy xấu dạ, cứ ăn đồ lạ là bị đau bụng. (She has a sensitive stomach; every time she eats unfamiliar food, she gets a stomach ache.)
Adjective (Character):
- Hắn ta thật xấu dạ, lúc nào cũng tìm cách hại người. (He is truly mean-spirited, always looking for ways to harm people.)
- Đừng tin lời nó, nó xấu dạ lắm. (Don't believe what he says; he has a very nasty disposition.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in a colloquial, slightly informal context. The figurative meaning relies on the metaphorical connection between a "bad stomach" (digesting food poorly) and a "bad inner self" (digesting thoughts or feelings in a malicious way).
Variants and Related Words
- Đau dạ dày (n/v): Stomach ache; to have a stomach ache. This refers specifically to pain, whereas "xấu dạ" describes a general susceptibility.
- Yếu bụng (adj): Weak stomach. This is a closer synonym for the physical meaning but lacks the strong negative character implication of "xấu dạ."
Synonyms
- Physically: Having a weak/sensitive stomach, dyspeptic.
- Character: Mean-spirited, nasty, malicious, spiteful.
Related Idioms
- Bụng dạ không tốt: Literally "stomach and innards are not good." Can imply either poor physical digestion or a bad character, similar to "xấu dạ."
- Ăn không tiêu: Literally "to eat without digesting." Used for physical indigestion and, metaphorically, for being unable to "stomach" or accept a situation.