bổ xoài
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To fall flat on one's face; to fall headlong; to take a tumble: This phrase describes the action of falling down suddenly and heavily, often in an uncontrolled manner, typically resulting in the person landing flat on their front or face-down. It emphasizes the clumsiness or unexpectedness of the fall.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Anh ấy trượt chân trên vỉa hè ướt và bổ xoài. (He slipped on the wet sidewalk and fell flat on his face.)
- Đứa trẻ chạy quá nhanh, vấp phải cái rễ cây và bổ xoài xuống đất. (The child was running too fast, tripped over a tree root, and took a tumble to the ground.)
- Cẩn thận kẻo bổ xoài đấy! (Be careful, or you'll take a spill!)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is highly colloquial and vivid, often used in informal, conversational contexts to describe a humorous or embarrassing fall. It is not used in formal writing.
- It can sometimes be used metaphorically to describe a sudden, complete failure in an endeavor, though this is less common than the literal meaning.
- Kế hoạch kinh doanh của họ đã bổ xoài ngay từ đầu. (Their business plan fell flat right from the start.)
Variants and Related Words
- Ngã (v): To fall. This is the standard, neutral verb for falling.
- Té (v): To fall (more common in Southern Vietnamese). It is also informal but less vivid than "bổ xoài".
- Trượt chân (v): To slip. This describes the cause that often leads to a "bổ xoài".
Synonyms
- Té chổng vó: To fall head over heels (also informal and vivid).
- Ngã sấp mặt: To fall face down.
Related Idioms
- While "bổ xoài" itself is a set phrase, it is often used in similar contexts to idioms about failure or clumsiness.
- Thất bại thảm hại: To fail miserably. This captures the metaphorical sense of a dramatic failure, similar to how "bổ xoài" can be used.