chao đảo
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To stagger, to sway unsteadily: "chao đảo" describes the physical movement of something or someone losing balance, rocking, or tilting from side to side, often in an uncontrolled manner.
- To waver, to falter: "chao đảo" can also describe a metaphorical state of being unstable, uncertain, or on the verge of collapse, such as in one's spirit, determination, or a situation.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Chiếc thuyền chao đảo trên sóng lớn. (The boat staggered on the big waves.)
- Cô ấy cảm thấy tinh thần chao đảo sau tin xấu. (She felt her spirit wavering after the bad news.)
- Nền kinh tế đang chao đảo vì khủng hoảng. (The economy is faltering because of the crisis.)
Advanced Usage
- "chao đảo trước...": to waver in the face of...
- Anh ấy không chao đảo trước bất kỳ thử thách nào. (He does not waver in the face of any challenge.)
Variants and Related Words
- Chao (verb): to tilt, to dip (e.g., a plane).
- Đảo (verb): to turn over, to overturn.
- Chao nghiêng (verb): to tilt, to list (often used for ships/boats).
- Lao đao (verb): to be in a precarious, difficult, and unstable situation (often metaphorically).
Synonyms
- Lảo đảo (verb): to stagger, to totter (often for a person walking unsteadily).
- Chập chờn (verb): to flicker, to be unsteady (often for light or a state between sleep and wakefulness).
- Dao động (verb): to oscillate, to fluctuate (can be used for physical movement or abstract concepts like opinions/prices).
Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)
Related Idioms
- "Gió to sóng cả, thuyền chao đảo": Literally "Strong wind, big waves, the boat staggers." It describes a situation of great difficulty and instability.
- "Lòng người chao đảo": Literally "The human heart wavers." It refers to a state of emotional or moral uncertainty.
- Stagger, waver