Năm ngựa lội sông Nam
Definition
- Idiom:
- An event where five princes fled across a river: This idiom refers specifically to the historical event of five princes of the Jin dynasty fleeing from chaos and crossing the Yangtze River. It symbolizes a disorderly escape or exodus of a group from danger or turmoil.
Usage Examples
- Idiom:
- Cảnh tượng hỗn loạn ấy chẳng khác nào "Năm ngựa lội sông Nam". (That chaotic scene was no different from the "event of the five horses crossing the southern river".)
- Câu chuyện "Năm ngựa lội sông Nam" là một điển tích nổi tiếng. (The story of the "five horses fording the southern river" is a famous classical allusion.)
Advanced Usage
- This idiom is a classical allusion (điển tích). It is used in literary or formal contexts to evoke a sense of historical chaos and desperate flight, often to draw a parallel to a contemporary situation of disorderly retreat or mass exodus.
Variants and Related Words
- Chạy loạn (v): to flee from chaos or rebellion.
- Dân làng phải chạy loạn khỏi vùng chiến sự. (The villagers had to flee from the chaos of the war zone.)
Synonyms
- Disorderly flight: A confused and hurried escape.
- Mass exodus: A large-scale departure of people, often due to a crisis.
Related Idioms
- Tán gia bại sản: to lose one's family fortune (often used in contexts of disaster and ruin, which can accompany a forced flight).
- Sau trận loạn, nhiều gia đình rơi vào cảnh tán gia bại sản. (After the rebellion, many families were ruined and lost their fortunes.)