Definition

1. Intransitive Verb:
   • To move or cause to move gently and rhythmically from side to side or back and forth, often while suspended. It implies a light, easy, and sometimes slow motion, like that of a pendulum or something hanging.
   • To swing; to sway; to oscillate gently.

Usage

• The verb đung đưa describes a specific type of swinging motion. It is most commonly used for objects that are hanging or are flexible enough to move with an external force like wind or a gentle push.
• It often conveys a sense of leisure, gentleness, or natural rhythm.
• It can be used for both the action of swinging something and the state of something swinging by itself.

Usage Examples

• Intransitive Verb:
  • Chiếc võng đung đưa nhẹ nhàng dưới tán cây. (The hammock swayed gently under the tree canopy.)
  • Cô bé ngồi đung đưa đôi chân trên ghế. (The little girl sat swinging her legs on the chair.)
  • Những chiếc lá đung đưa theo làn gió. (The leaves swayed in the breeze.)

Advanced Usage

• "đung đưa" as a descriptive state: Can be used to depict a relaxed, carefree, or idle state through the imagery of gentle motion.
  • Anh ấy ngồi đung đưa trên ghế, chẳng lo nghĩ gì. (He sat swinging on the chair, without a care in the world.)

Variants and Related Words

• Đu đưa: A very close synonym, often interchangeable with đung đưa. It can sometimes imply a slightly wider or more playful arc of movement.
• Lắc lư: To sway or swing the body (especially hips or shoulders) rhythmically, often to music. It implies more active, deliberate movement than đung đưa.
• Lung lay: To wobble; to be loose and unsteady (e.g., a loose tooth, a wobbly table). It lacks the rhythmic, gentle quality of đung đưa and suggests instability.

Synonyms

• Swing (v): To move back and forth while suspended.
• Sway (v): To move slowly and rhythmically from side to side.
• Oscillate (v): To move or swing back and forth in a regular rhythm. (More technical)

Related Idioms

• Đầu voi đuôi chuột: (Lit: Elephant's head, mouse's tail). This idiom means a promising start but a disappointing finish. It is listed here because it shares the word "đuôi" (tail), which can sometimes be associated with swinging motions, but the idiom itself is conceptually distinct from đung đưa.

1. Sway lightly
   • Cành hoa đung đưa trong gió
     Flowers swaying lightly in the wind