Bedeutung
When youngsters think they know more than elders
Kultureller Hintergrund
Respect for elders is the foundation of Vietnamese society. This idiom acts as a linguistic boundary to prevent younger people from overstepping. The idea that age equals wisdom is a core Confucian tenet. This idiom is a direct reflection of that philosophy. Gen Z is increasingly using this phrase ironically to acknowledge the generational gap while still pushing for change. In farming communities, the literal connection to ducks and eggs makes this idiom even more powerful and common.
Tone Matters
If you say this with a smile, it can be a joke. If you say it with a frown, it's a serious insult.
Use 'Đòi'
Adding 'đòi' (Trứng đòi khôn hơn vịt) makes you sound much more like a native speaker.
Bedeutung
When youngsters think they know more than elders
Tone Matters
If you say this with a smile, it can be a joke. If you say it with a frown, it's a serious insult.
Use 'Đòi'
Adding 'đòi' (Trứng đòi khôn hơn vịt) makes you sound much more like a native speaker.
The 'Face' Factor
Using this idiom is a way to protect the 'face' of an elder who might actually be wrong.
Teste dich selbst
Complete the idiom.
Mới học được vài chữ mà đã đòi ______ khôn hơn ______.
The standard idiom is 'trứng khôn hơn vịt'.
Which situation best fits the idiom 'Trứng khôn hơn vịt'?
Select the correct scenario:
This involves a younger person giving advice to an elder with much more experience.
Choose the best response for the father.
Con: 'Bố ơi, bố lái xe thế này là lỗi thời rồi, phải lái như con mới đúng.' Bố: '_______'
The father is asserting his long-term experience over the son's new ideas.
🎉 Ergebnis: /3
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
3 AufgabenMới học được vài chữ mà đã đòi ______ khôn hơn ______.
The standard idiom is 'trứng khôn hơn vịt'.
Select the correct scenario:
This involves a younger person giving advice to an elder with much more experience.
Con: 'Bố ơi, bố lái xe thế này là lỗi thời rồi, phải lái như con mới đúng.' Bố: '_______'
The father is asserting his long-term experience over the son's new ideas.
🎉 Ergebnis: /3
Häufig gestellte Fragen
5 Fragen90% of the time, yes. It's a way to tell someone they are being arrogant. However, between very close friends, it can be used to tease someone who is acting like an expert on a topic they don't know.
Absolutely not. It would be considered extremely rude. If you want to disagree with a teacher, use much more polite language.
'Giỏi' means talented or good at a skill. 'Khôn' means wise or clever in a life-experience sense. The idiom uses 'khôn' because it's about life wisdom.
Ducks are very common in Vietnamese water-based agriculture. While 'trứng gà' (chicken egg) exists, the idiom has historically stuck with 'vịt'.
Not really. The idiom itself is inherently corrective. A more polite way to express the sentiment is to say 'Gừng càng già càng cay' to praise the elder instead.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Gừng càng già càng cay
similarGinger is hotter when it's older.
Múa rìu qua mắt thợ
similarTo swing an axe in front of a master carpenter.
Cá không ăn muối cá ươn
builds onFish that doesn't take salt goes rotten.
Hậu sinh khả úy
contrastThe younger generation is to be feared/respected.
