đáo để
Definition
Adjective:
- Extreme; excessive; to a high degree: Used to describe a state, quality, or action that is very intense, severe, or goes beyond the ordinary limit. It often carries a negative connotation of being troublesome or unreasonable.
- Terrible; awful: Can describe something considered very bad or formidable.
Adverb:
- Extremely; exceedingly; very: Used to intensify an adjective or verb, emphasizing a very high degree.
Usage Examples
Adjective:
- Tính anh ấy thật là đáo để. (His personality is truly extreme/troublesome.)
- Đó là một vấn đề đáo để. (That is a terrible/very difficult problem.)
Adverb:
- Cô ấy đáo để thông minh. (She is exceedingly intelligent.)
- Trời hôm nay đáo để nóng. (It is extremely hot today.)
Advanced Usage
- The word is often used in colloquial speech for strong emphasis. When used as an adjective describing a person's character or behavior, it frequently implies someone is cunning, tricky, or unreasonably stubborn.
- Thằng bé láu cá, đáo để lắm! (That boy is sly and extremely cunning!)
Variants and Related Words
- Đáo để itself is a fixed compound. There are no direct variants, but its meaning relates to intensity.
Synonyms
- Adjective/Adverb: Extreme, excessive, terrible, formidable.
- Adverb: Extremely, exceedingly, very, immensely.
Related Idioms
- Láu cá đáo để: To be extremely sly or cunning.
- Tên buôn lậu đó láu cá đáo để. (That smuggler is extremely sly.)
- Nguy hiểm đáo để: To be extremely dangerous.
- Con đường đèo này nguy hiểm đáo để. (This mountain pass road is extremely dangerous.)