Definition

Noun: - Bad reputation, dishonor, disgrace: A state of being held in low esteem by society; the condition of having one's name or honor tarnished. This word carries a classical, somewhat literary tone and often refers to bringing shame upon oneself or one's family.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Anh ấy sợ làm điều gì đó khiến bản thân mang ô danh. (He is afraid of doing something that would bring dishonor upon himself.)
  • Hành động của hắn đã để lại ô danh cho cả dòng họ. (His actions left a stain on the reputation of the entire clan.)
  • Trong xã hội xưa, ô danh là điều đáng sợ nhất. (In the old society, a bad reputation was the most feared thing.)

Advanced Usage

• This term is considered somewhat archaic or literary in modern Vietnamese. It is often used in formal writing, historical contexts, or to convey a serious, weighty sense of shame.
• It frequently appears in contexts involving family honor, personal integrity, or social standing.

Variants and Related Words

• Làm ô danh (verb phrase): To disgrace, to dishonor, to bring shame upon.
  • Hắn không muốn làm ô danh tổ tiên. (He does not want to dishonor his ancestors.)
• Mang ô danh (verb phrase): To bear a bad reputation, to be disgraced.
  • Cô ấy đã mang ô danh suốt phần đời còn lại. (She bore the disgrace for the rest of her life.)

Synonyms

• Tai tiếng: Notoriety, infamy (often with a scandalous connotation).
• Nhục nhã: Humiliation, disgrace (focuses on the feeling of shame).
• Xấu hổ: Shame, embarrassment (more common, focuses on the personal feeling).
• Tiếng xấu: Bad name, ill repute (a more colloquial term for bad reputation).

Related Idioms/Phrases

• Ô danh bại tích: A classical phrase meaning a ruined reputation and failed legacy; complete disgrace.
  • Kẻ phản bội ấy rồi sẽ phải chịu cảnh ô danh bại tích. (That traitor will eventually face complete disgrace and ruin.)
• Mang tiếng xấu: To get a bad name (a more common, less literary equivalent).
  • Đừng làm gì khiến mình mang tiếng xấu. (Don't do anything that would give you a bad name.)

noun

1. bad reputation