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[sefirah:4557] Vietnamese Idioms (Thành ngữ tiếng Việt) - Collected and explained by Pham Van Binh (8)
è cổ trả nợ
(To bend down to carry debts)
Meaning : To suffer from all the debts sent to oneself
Example : Các cậu cứ thích làm đám cưới to nữa vào để bây giờ phải è cổ ra mà trả nợ (You have liked to have a luxurious wedding so you have to bend down to carry debts (= suffer from all the debts sent to you) now)
ép liễu, nài hoa
(To force the willow and compel the flower)
Meaning : To force a woman to make love with one
Example : Hắn toan giở trò ép liễu, nài hoa thì cô đã nghiêm mặt lại mà mắng, khiến hắn phải đánh bài chuồn (As soon as he intended to force the willow and compel the flower (= force her to make love with him), she had hardened her face and scolded him so that he had to go off)
ép như ép giò
(To press (somebody) as if pressing a meat pie)
Meaning : To press very hard / to fill with. To force very hard
Example :
1. Họ ép chúng tôi như ép giò trong một chiếc xe ca cổ lỗ sĩ (They pressed us into a very old coach as if pressing a meat pie (= filled a very old coach with all of us)).
2. Bọn chúng ép tôi như ép giò để bắt tôi phải khai ra những người lãnh đạo phong trào nhưng cuối cùng vẫn thất bại (They pressed me as if pressing a meat pie (= forced me very hard) in order to get my statement of the movement‘s leaders but they still failed in the end)
ép trúc, nài mai
(To force the bamboo and
compel the apricot)
Meaning : As "ép liễu, nài hoa”
Example : Hắn toan giở trò ép trúc, nài mai thì cô đã nghiêm mặt lại mà mắng, khiến hắn phải đánh bài chuồn (As soon as he intended to force the bamboo and compel the apricot (= force her to make love with him), she had hardened her face and scolded him so that he had to go off)
ế sưng, ế sỉa
(To be unmarketable with a swell)
Meaning : To be very unmarketable
Example : Không hiểu sao mấy hôm nay hàng họ cứ ế sưng, ế xỉa ra, bà ạ (I don’t know why my goods are unmarketable with a swell (= are very unmarketable)these days, madam)
ếch ngồi đáy giếng
(A frog sits at the well’s bottom / a frog sitting at the well’s bottom )
Meaning : A person keeps [keepping] his room / a person of poor knowledge (because of poor social contact)
Example :
1. Ông ta như ếch ngồi đáy giếng, chẳng đến nhà ai chơi bao giờ cả (He never pays a visit to anyone like a frog sits at the well’s bottom (= a person keeps his room))
2. Mình như ếch ngồi đáy giếng nên chẳng dám góp ý gì cho các cậu cả (I am like a frog sitting at the well’s bottom (= a person of poor knowledge) so I don’t dare to give my opinion to you)
ếch vồ hoa dâm bụt
(A frog catching hold of a rose- mallow )
Meaning : A day dreamer / a castles - in - the - air builder
Example : Anh ta không phải là loại ếch vồ hoa dâm bụt đâu mà cậu có thể mồi chài được (He is not a frog catching hold of a rose - mallow (= a day dreamer)for you to cheat at all)
êm chèo, mát mái
(With smooth and quiet paddling)
Meaning : In good progress
Example : Sau nhiều sóng gió,
công việc của chúng tôi cuối
cùng cũng được êm chèo, mát mái (After a lot of difficulties, our work could go with smooth and quiet paddling (= in good progress) in the end)
êm như cát, mát như nước
(To be as fine as sand and as cool as water)
Meaning : To be very fine and soft / to be very smooth and cool (of cloth / matress...)
Example : Chị sờ miếng sa tanh này mà xem. Thật là êm như cát, mát như nước vậy (Please, touch the piece of satin !It is as fine as sand and as cool as water (= is very smooth and cool))
êm như nhung
((To be) as soft as velvet / velvet - like. As softly as velvet)
Meaning : (To be) very soft / (of a sound). Very softly ( of
an action)
Example : Cô ấy có giọng nói êm như nhung khiến tôi không thể quên nổi (She has a velvet -like (= very soft) voice which I can’t forget)
êm như ru
((To be) as soft as a lullaby / lullaby - like. As softly as a lullaby)
Meaning : (To be) very soft / (of a sound). Very smoothly ( of an action)
Example : Anh ta làm việc gì cũng êm như ru (He can do everything as softly as a lullaby (= very smoothly))
ễnh bụng ra
(To have a pot belly)
Meaning : To get pregnant Example : Hắn ta làm cho cô ễnh bụng ra rồi chuồn phải không ?(He made you have a pot belly (= get pregnant) and then ran off, didn’t he ?)
Gà con ấp mẹ
(A chick under its mother’s wings)
Meaning : A little kid
Example : Chúng nó vẫn còn là gà con ấp mẹ thôi chứ có lớn lao gì đâu (They are still chicks under their mother’s wings (= little kids))
Gà mượn áo [lông] công
(To be a chicken borrowing a peakcock’s coat / feathers)
Meaning : To pretend to be rich [wise / noble]
Example : Anh ta chẳng qua chỉ là gà mượn áo công thôi, cô ạ (He is just a chicken borrowing a peakcock’s coat (= just pretends to be rich), madam)
Gà mọc lông măng
(A chicken whose pinfeathers are still growing)
Meaning : A very young person / an unexperienced person
Example : Gà mọc lông măng như cậu thì làm gì đã biết được chuyện đời lắt léo ra sao (A chicken whose pinfeathers are still growing (= An experienced person) like you can’t know how complicated life is)
Gà sống [trống] nuôi con
(A cock who is feeding his chick(s))
Meaning : A widower who is bringing up his child(ren)
Example : Cái cảnh gà trống nuôi con của anh ấy trông thật đáng ái ngại (The situation of a cock who is feeding his chicks (= a widower who is bringing up his children) in his family looks quite pitiful)
Gác ngoài tai
(To bar something outside one’s ears
Meaning : Not to listen to something
Example : Hắn gác ngoài tai tất cả những lời khuyên bảo chân tình của anh em, bạn bè nên mới có cái kết cục bi đát này (He got the sad end for he had barred all his brothers and friends’ true advice outside his ears (= hadn’t listened to all his brothers and friends’ true advice))
Gác tía, lầu hồng
(Purple storeyed-houses and red mansions)
Meaning : High-class people’s dwelling places
Example : Nàng sống nơi gác tía, lầu hồng thì làm sao hiểu nổi cuộc sống chân lấm, tay bùn của người dân thường chúng tôi (You usually live in purple storeyed-houses and red mansions (= high-class people’s dwelling places) so you can’t know the life of the common people like us)
Gái đĩ già mồm
(To be as talkative as a prostitute)
Meaning : To answer back or curse others noisily (though having done wrong)
Example : Mày đã sai lè ra rồi mà lại còn gái đĩ già mồm à ?(Why are you still as
talkative as a prostitute (= do you still answer back others noisily) when you are completely wrong) ?)
Gái tơ ngứa nghề
(A virgin impatient of doing her work)
Meaning : A girl who has just been grown up but has already been flirtatious
Example : Anh cẩn thận không lại mắc bẫy cái bọn gái tơ ngứa nghề ấy đấy (Be careful or you will fall into the trap made by the virgins impatient of doing their work (= girls who have just been grown up but have already been flirtatious))
Gãi đầu, gãi tai
(To scratch one’s head and ears)
Meaning : To be confused / to hesitate
Example : Cháu có chuyện gì thì cứ nói ra, sao cứ gãi đầu, gãi tai mãi thế ?(Why don’t you speak what you want to but keep scratching your head and ears (= hesitating) ?)
Gãi đúng chỗ ngứa
(To scratch the very spot which is itchy)
Meaning : To point out
somebody’s very wish(es)
Example : Anh nói câu ấy thật gãi đúng chỗ ngứa của tôi rồi đấy (You have scratched my very spot which is itchy (= have pointed out my very wish when speaking out the sentence)
Gãi ghẻ
(To scratch (somebody’s) itchmites’ spots)
Meaning : To demand [reclaim / ask for] in vain
Example : Anh đi đòi ngay cái xe về, kẻo nó bán mất thì có mà gãi ghẻ nó đấy (You should go to take the bicycle back otherwise you will scratch his itchmites’ spots (= reclaim it in vain) when he has sold it off)
Gãi như gãi ghẻ
(To scratch as if to scratch itchmites’ spots)
Meaning : To scratch unceasingly
Example : Cái cậu này gãi gì mà như gãi ghẻ vậy ? (Why do you scratch as if to scratch itchmites’ spots (= scratch unceasingly) ?)
Gan chai, phổi đá
(To have a glass liver and stone lungs / glass - livered -
and stone - lunged)
Meaning : (To be) strong - willed
Example : Anh ấy quả là một người gan chai, phổi đá (He is really a glass - livered - and - stone - lunged (= strong - willed) man)
Gan cóc tía
(To have a toad’s liver / toad-livered)
Meaning : (To be) very bold / stubborn
Example : Lính của tôi toàn là những anh chàng gan cóc tía cả đấy (My troops are all toad-livered (= very bold) guys)
Gan liền tướng quân
(To have a general’s liver / general-livered)
Meaning : As "Gan cóc tía".
Example : Lính của tôi toàn là những anh chàng gan liền tướng quân cả đấy (My troops are all general-livered (= very bold) guys)
Gan sành, dạ sỏi
(To have an earthenware liver and gravel heart / earthenware - livered - and - gravel - hearted)
Meaning : (To be) tough / determined
Example : Khó mà thuyết phục được một kẻ gan sành, dạ sỏi như cậu ấy lắm, cô ạ (It’s very difficult to persuade an earthenware - livered - and - gravel - hearted (= deter -mined) guy)
Gan vàng, dạ đá [ngọc / sắt]
(To have a gold liver and a rock [pearl / iron] heart / gold-livered and stone [pearl / iron] - hearted)
Meaning : As "Dạ đá, gan vàng"
Example : Đó là những người con gan vàng dạ đá của nhân dân ta (They are our people’s gold -livered and stone - hearted (= heroic and loyal) children)
Gàn bát sách
(To be as idiotic as the card named ‘bat sach’ [1] in the deck of to tom / bat sach - idiotic)
Meaning : (To be) very idiotic
Example : Anh đừng nói chuyện này với cái ông gàn bát sách ấy nhé ( Please, don’t say a word to that bat sach - idiotic (= very idiotic) man
about the matter)
Gạn đục, khơi trong
(To set the mud down to get clear water out)
Meaning : To extract the good and throw away the bad
Example : Khi tiếp thu vốn văn hóa cổ, chúng ta cần biết gạn đục, khơi trong (When taking over our old cultural heritage, we should set the mud down to get the clear water out (= extract the good and throw away the bad))
Gánh vã, buôn thuyền
(To transport goods by boat as well as on one’s shoulders)
Meaning : To work very hard in business
Example : Tôi chẳng thể gánh vã, buôn thuyền như các bác được đâu (I can’t transport goods by boat as well as on my shoulders (= work very hard in business)like you, gentlemen)
Gánh vàng vào kho
(To carry gold into the store)
Meaning : To enrich the state fund
Example : Bác ấy chỉ biết gánh vàng vào kho thôi, bà ạ (He just knows how to carry gold into the store (= enrich
the state fund), madam)
Gạo châu, củi quế
(Of pearl rice and cinnamon firewood)
Meaning : Very hard (time in which food and other consumption goods are very rare and expensive)
Example : Thời buổi gạo châu, củi quế này thật là khó sống quá, cụ ạ (It’s very difficult to live in the time of pearl rice and cinnamon firewood (= very hard time), sir)
Gạo chợ, nước sông
(Of markets’ rice and rivers‘ water)
Meaning : Unstable (living situation / life)
Example : Đa phần bà con ở đây đều sống cảnh gạo chợ, nước sông (Most of the people here are living in a situation of markets’ rice and rivers’ water (= an unstable situation))
Gạo muối ném theo
(To see somebody off by throwing rice and salt after him)[2]
Meaning : To be glad to get rid of somebody as if freed from ghosts’ trouble
Example : Ông ta mà được điều đi nơi khác thì bà con ở đây sẽ gạo muối ném theo ngay (If he is sent to another place, the inhabitants here will see him off by throwing rice and salt after him (will be glad to get rid of him as if freed from ghosts’ trouble))
Gảy ngón tay cũng xong
(Something can be finished when one moves just one finger)
Meaning : One is able to do something very easily
Example : Chà, việc ấy thì tôi gảy ngón tay cũng xong (Oh, it can be finished when I move just one finger (= I am able to do it very easily))
Gắp lửa bỏ tay người
(To pick flames to put in others’ hands)
Meaning : To slander others to harm them
Example : Hắn ta chuyên gắp lửa bỏ tay người nên chẳng ai thèm chơi (He always picks flames to put in others’ hands (= slanders others to harm them) so nobody wants to make friends with him)
Gặp phải hang hùm
(To meet with a tiger’s den)
Meaning : To fall into a danger
Example : Cô mà đến nhà hắn thì sẽ gặp phải hang hùm đấy (If you come to his house, you will meet with a tiger’s den (=
will fall into a danger))
Gắt như mắm tôm
(To grumble like shrimp sauce)[3]
Meaning : To grumble noisily / to be in the habit of grumbling
Example : Có chuyện gì mà cô gắt như mắm tôm thế?(What’s the matter with you so that you grumble like shrimp sauce (= grumble noisily) ?)
Gần đất, xa trời
(To be near the earth and far from the sky)
Meaning : To be very old / to be on the point of death
Example :
1. Tôi cũng đã đến cái tuổi
gần đất, xa trời rồi, anh ạ (I have come to the age of being near the earth and far from the sky (= am very old), sir)
2. Chắc ông ta lúc này đang gần đất, xa trời bởi trận ốm thập tử nhất sinh đó rồi (Now he must be near the earth and far from the sky (= be on the point of death) because of the serious illness)
Gần kề miệng lỗ
(To be near the hole)
Meaning : To be very old
Example : Ông đã gần kề miệng lỗ mà còn ăn diện bảnh bao thế ? (Why are you still well dressed when you are near the hole (= are very old)?)
Gần mũi, xa miệng
(To be near the nose but far from the mouth)
Meaning : To know there is benefit but get no share of it
Example : Chuyện quĩ đen, quĩ đỏ với chúng tôi chỉ là gần mũi, xa miệng thôi, anh ạ (For us, the privy fund is near the nose but far from the mouth (= We know there is benefit from the privy fund but get no share of it), sir)
Gần nhà, xa ngõ
(To be near by the house but far by the lane)
Meaning : (People’s) houses are near each other but the way between them is long and winding
Example : Tôi với bác phải cái gần nhà, xa ngõ nên chẳng mấy dịp gặp nhau (You and I are near by the house but far by the lane (= Our houses are near each other but the way between them is long and winding) so we have few chances to meet each other)
Gật gù tay đũa tay chép
(To nod repeatedly with one hand holding chopsticks and the other hand holding a bowl)
Meaning : To have a meal with appetite
Example : Khi tôi đến thì họ đang gật gù tay đũa tay chép với nhau (When I came, they were nodding repeatedly with one hand holding chopsticks and the other hand holding a bowl (= were having a meal with appetite) together)
Gấu ăn trăng
(The bear is eating the moon)
Meaning : Lunar eclipse
Example : Các cậu ơi, ra đây
mà xem gấu ăn trăng này (My friends, come here to see the bear eating the moon (= lunar eclipse))
Gầy giơ xương
((To be) thin with exposed bones)
Meaning : (To be) very thin and weak
Example : Các cháu đói ăn hay sao mà đứa nào cũng gầy giơ xương ra cả thế ?(Do you have not enough food to eat so that all of you are thin with exposed bones (= are very thin and weak) ?)
Gầy như cái que
(To be as thin as a stick / stick-thin)
Meaning : (To be) very thin
Example : Thằng cháu nhà bác ốm đau ra sao mà người gầy như cái que thế này?(How is your son’s illness going on so that he is as thin as a stick (= is very thin) ?)
Gầy như (cái) xác ve
(To be as thin as a cicada’s corpse / a cicada’s corpse-thin)
Meaning : As “Gầy giơ xương”
Example : Các cháu đói ăn hay sao mà đứa nào cũng gầy như xác ve cả thế ?(Do you have not enough food to eat so that all of you are as thin as a cicada’s corpse (= are very thin and weak) ?)
Gầy như con cá mắm
(To be as thin as a salted fish / salted fish-thin)
Meaning : As “Gầy giơ xương”
Example : Các cháu đói ăn hay sao mà đứa nào cũng gầy như con cá mắm cả thế ?(Do you have not enough food to eat so that all of you are as thin as a salted fish (= are very thin and weak) ?)
Gầy như con hạc
(To be as thin as a heron / heron-thin)
Meaning : (To be) very thin (so one looks very tall)
Example : Dạo này con cháu nhà tôi người cứ gầy như con hạc ấy, ông ạ (Nowadays my daughter is as thin as a heron (= is very thin), sir)
Gầy như que củi
(To be as thin as firewood / firewood-thin)
Meaning : As "Gầy như cái que"
Example : Thằng cháu nhà bác ốm đau ra sao mà người gầy như que củi thế này?(How is your son’s illness going on so that he is as thin as firewood (= is very thin) ?)
Gẫy gối, tối mặt
(Until one’s knees break and one’s face darkens)
Meaning : Very hard and busily
Example : Chúng tôi làm đến gẫy gối, tối mặt mà có đủ ăn đâu (We work until our knees break and our faces darken (= very hard and busily) but have not enough food to eat)
Ghen bóng, ghen gió
(To be jealous of shadows and wind)
Meaning : To be jealous without any reasons
Example : Cô không nên ghen bóng, ghen gió như thế mà làm khổ chú ấy (Don’t be jealous of shadows and wind (= be jealous without any reasons) like that to torment him)
Ghẹo nguyệt, trêu hoa
(To flirt the moon and tease flowers)
Meaning : To flirt women
Example : Cái gã ấy vẫn chưa chừa cái thói ghẹo nguyệt, trêu hoa đâu, chị ạ (That guy hasn’t dropped his habit of flirting the moon and teasing flowers (= flirting women) yet, sister)
Ghét cay, ghét đắng
(To hate in a hot way as well as in a bitter way)
Meaning : To hate very much
Example : Tôi ghét cay, ghét đắng những kẻ bất lương đó (I hate those evil doers in a hot way as well as in a bitter way (= hate those evil doers very much)).
Ghét như đào đất đổ đi
(To hate somebody as if digging soil to throw away
Meaning : To hate somebody deeply
Example : Anh ăn ở thế nào mà bà con ghét anh như đào đất đổ đi thế ?(How have you been behaving yourself so that your neighbours hate you as if digging soil to throw away (= hate you deeply))
Ghi lòng, tạc dạ
(To write down and carve something in one’s heart)
Meaning : To remember
something for ever
Example : Chúng cháu xin ghi lòng, tạc dạ những lời dạy bảo của các cụ ạ (We shall write down and carve your advice in our hearts (= shall remember your advice for ever))
Già ăn trẻ lại, gái ăn đắt chồng
(To turn the old into the young again and make unwanted girls get husbands)
Meaning : To be very delicious
Example : Món này thì già ăn trẻ lại, gái ăn đắt chồng đấy nhé (The dish can turn the old into the young again and make unwanted girls get husbands (= is very delicious))
Già chẳng trót đời
(Not to want to come to an end though one is old)
Meaning : To be resisting one’s old age (by doing unsuitable thing for his age)
Example : Ông ta già chẳng trót đời lại còn định rước một bà sồn sồn về ở cùng, cụ ạ (He doesn’t want to come to an end though he is old (= is resisting his old age) by intending to bring home a middle-aged woman to live together, sir)
Già chơi trống bỏi
(To play a paper tambourine (though one is old))
Meaning : To do improper things for one’s old age
Example : Ông ta già rồi mà vẫn còn chơi trống bỏi, cô ạ (He is old but still plays a paper tambourine (= does improper things for his age), madam)
Già kề miệng lỗ
(To be so old that one comes near a hole)
Meaning : As "Gần kề miệng lỗ".
Example : Ông đã già kề miệng lỗ mà còn ăn diện bảnh bao thế ? (Why are you still well dressed when you are so old that you come near a hole (= are very old)?)
Giá áo, túi cơm
(A clothes-stand and a rice-bag)
Meaning : A good-for-nothing guy
Example : Thì ra anh cũng chỉ là phường giá áo, túi cơm như bọn chúng mà thôi (You turn out to be a clothes-stand and a rice-bag (= a good-for-nothing guy)like them, sir)
Giả câm, giả điếc
(To pretend to be dumb and
deaf)
Meaning : To pretend not to hear anything and keep one’s mouth shut
Example : Trước những cảnh chướng tai, gai mắt đó, tôi cứ phải giả câm, giả điếc, ông ạ (I have to pretend to be dumb and deaf (= pretend not to hear anything and keep my mouth shut) before the disgraceful scenes, sir)
Giả chết bắt quạ
(To pretend to die to catch a crow)
Meaning : To pretend to be honest to cheat others
Example : Kiểu này là cô ta lại định giả chết bắt quạ đây (By doing like this, she intends pretending to die to catch a crow (= pretending to be honest to cheat others))
Giả điếc, giả đui
(To pretend to be deaf and blind)
Meaning : To pretend not to see and to hear anything Example : Tôi có giả điếc, giả đui thì mới sống sót đến ngày nay đấy (Only by pretending to be deaf and blind (= pretending not to see and to hear anything) can I live until
now)
Giả ngây, giả dại
(To pretend to be foolish and mad)
Meaning : To pretend not to know anything
Example : Thôi, anh không phải giả ngây, giả dại nữa. Đồng bọn của anh đã khai ra hết cả rồi (Well, you needn’t pretend to be foolish and mad (= pretend not to know anything). Your clique have already given out all their statements)
Giả nhân, giả nghĩa
(To pretend to be kind and righteous)
Meaning : To pretend to have good conduct
Example : Cái thói giả nhân, giả nghĩa của các người chẳng đánh lừa được chúng tôi đâu (Your habit of pretending to be kind and righteous (= pretending to have good conduct) can’t deceive us)
Giả tỉnh, giả say
(To pretend to be sometimes sober and sometimes drunk)
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