Definition

1. Noun (Literary, somewhat archaic):
   • A drifting, floating condition; a metaphorical state of being adrift or rootless. The term poetically describes a fragile, insignificant, and precarious existence, often likened to a floating leaf or piece of debris on water. It is traditionally used to depict the vulnerable and transient fate of a person, particularly a woman, in literature.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Nghĩ mình mặt nước cánh bèo, đã nhiều lưu lạc lại nhiều gian truân. (Thinking of myself as a drifting leaf on the water's surface, having experienced much wandering and yet more hardship.)
  • Thân phận cô ấy như cánh bèo, phiêu bạt khắp nơi. (Her fate was like a drifting leaf, floating aimlessly everywhere.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "cánh bèo" is almost exclusively found in poetic, literary, or classical contexts to evoke imagery and pathos. It is not used in modern everyday conversation.

Variants and Related Words

• Bèo dạt mây trôi (Idiom): Literally "duckweed adrift, clouds floating." This idiom describes a rootless, uncertain life swept along by circumstance, sharing the core metaphorical concept of "cánh bèo."

Synonyms

• A drifting fate: A destiny marked by lack of control and stability.
• A rootless existence: A life without a fixed home or anchor.
• A transient life: A temporary, fleeting state of being.

Related Idioms

• Bèo dạt mây trôi: To be adrift; to live a life swept along by fate, without control or a stable home.
  • Cuộc đời anh như bèo dạt mây trôi. (His life has been like duckweed adrift and clouds floating.)

1. (văn chương, cũ) Drifting condition (of a woman)