Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Ill-bred; vulgar; despicable: Describes a person of low moral character, who is deceitful, untrustworthy, and acts without regard for ethics. It implies a sneaky, underhanded, and contemptible nature.
   • Rotten; bad: Can describe an action or behavior that is profoundly dishonest or malicious.

2. Noun:

   • A scoundrel; a bastard (vulgar): Used as a strong term of abuse to refer to a person considered utterly deceitful and immoral.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Hắn ta là một kẻ rất đểu. (He is a very despicable scoundrel.)
  • Làm việc đó thật đểu. (Doing that is truly rotten.)
• Noun (as a term of address or reference):
  • Đồ đểu! Mày lừa tao. (You bastard! You deceived me.)
  • Tên đểu đó lại lừa được một người nữa. (That scoundrel deceived another person.)

Advanced Usage

• The word "đểu" is highly colloquial and vulgar. It carries strong negative emotion and is used to express deep contempt, anger, or betrayal. It is inappropriate in formal contexts.
• It often describes someone who betrays trust, especially in a sneaky or cunning way, not through open confrontation.

Variants and Related Words

• Đểu cáng (adj): An intensified form meaning utterly despicable, vile.
  • Hành động đểu cáng. (A vile action.)
• Đểu giả (adj/n): Hypocritical and despicable.
  • Bộ mặt đểu giả của hắn. (His hypocritical and despicable face.)

Synonyms

• Despicable: Deserving hatred and contempt.
• Deceitful: Guilty of or involving deceit; deceiving or misleading others.
• Scoundrel: A dishonest or unscrupulous person.
• Bastard (vulgar): A cruel, rude, or despicable man.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Chơi đểu: To act in a deceitful, underhanded way; to pull a dirty trick.
  • Nó chơi đểu bằng cách gian lận. (He played dirty by cheating.)
• Mặt đểu: A face that looks dishonest or shifty; often used to describe an untrustworthy expression.
  • Nhìn mặt đểu là biết không nên tin. (Looking at his shifty face, you know you shouldn't trust him.)

1. ill-bred; vulgar