ương gàn
Definition
- Adjective:
- Stubborn and eccentric: Describes a person, typically older, who is obstinate in their ways and has peculiar, fixed habits or ideas that are difficult to change. The term combines notions of stubbornness ("ương") and eccentricity or crankiness ("gàn").
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Ông lão ương gàn không chịu nghe lời khuyên của ai. (The stubborn and eccentric old man refuses to listen to anyone's advice.)
- Tính ương gàn của bà cụ khiến mọi người khó giúp đỡ. (The old woman's stubborn and cranky nature makes it hard for people to help her.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used to describe elderly individuals whose long-held, inflexible habits or opinions are perceived as both unreasonable and peculiar.
Variants and Related Words
- Ương (adj): Stubborn, obstinate (often used for inanimate objects like plants that are hard to grow or for a stubborn child).
- Gàn (adj): Eccentric, cranky, having odd and persistent fixations.
Synonyms
- Obstinate and eccentric: Unyielding and unconventional in a difficult way.
- Pig-headed and quirky: Inflexibly stubborn with odd characteristics.
- Cantankerous: Bad-tempered and uncooperative, often with a sense of eccentricity.
Related Idioms
- While "ương gàn" itself is a fixed phrase, it relates to the concept of:
- Cứng đầu cứng cổ: Literally "hard-headed and stiff-necked," meaning extremely stubborn.
- Ông ấy cứng đầu cứng cổ, chẳng chịu thay đổi. (He is extremely stubborn and refuses to change.)