Definition

1. Noun:
   • Limbs, extremities: Refers to the arms and legs collectively, the appendages of the body used for movement and manipulation.
   • Subordinates, trusted aides: (Figurative, slang) Refers to close and trusted assistants or henchmen who carry out tasks.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Literal - Limbs):

  • Sau buổi tập, tôi cảm thấy đau nhức toàn thân, đặc biệt là chân tay. (After the workout, I felt sore all over, especially in my limbs.)
  • Cô ấy ngồi bó gối, ôm chặt đôi chân tay vì lạnh. (She sat with her knees drawn up, hugging her limbs tightly because of the cold.)

• Noun (Figurative - Subordinates):

  • Tên trùm tội phạm đó luôn có một nhóm chân tay đắc lực bên cạnh. (That crime boss always has a group of trusted henchmen by his side.)
  • Anh ta không tự làm mà giao việc cho các chân tay của mình. (He doesn't do it himself but delegates tasks to his subordinates.)

Advanced Usage

• "lao động chân tay": manual labour, physical work.

  • Công việc này đòi hỏi nhiều lao động chân tay. (This job requires a lot of manual labour.)

• "chân tay lạnh cóng" / "chân tay giá lạnh": to have ice-cold limbs/extremities.

  • Ra ngoài trời đông không đủ ấm, chân tay sẽ lạnh cóng. (Going outside in winter without enough warmth will make your limbs ice-cold.)

• "chân tay yếu ớt": to have weak or delicate limbs.

  • Sau cơn bạo bệnh, ông ấy chỉ còn là một người chân tay yếu ớt. (After the severe illness, he was left as a person with weak limbs.)

Variants and Related Words

• Tay chân: This is a common variant with the same primary meaning (limbs) and figurative meaning (subordinates). The order is often interchangeable, though "chân tay" might be slightly more formal for the literal meaning.
  • Nó bị thương ở tay chân. (He was injured in his limbs.)

Synonyms

• Chi (limbs): A more formal or biological term for limbs.
• Tay sai (henchmen, lackeys): A synonym for the figurative meaning, often with a more negative connotation.
• Đàn em (subordinates, underlings): A synonym for the figurative meaning.

Related Phrases

• "dài chân dài tay": (idiom) to be long-limbed, tall.

  • Cậu bé dài chân dài tay, chắc sau này sẽ rất cao. (The boy is long-limbed; he will probably be very tall later.)

• "chân tay rời rạc": (idiom) limbs feeling disconnected or uncoordinated; often used to express extreme fatigue or clumsiness.

  • Làm việc cả ngày, tôi cảm thấy chân tay rời rạc. (After working all day, I feel like my limbs are disconnected.)

Related Idioms

• "Chân tay mềm nhũn": (idiom) Limbs feeling weak and limp; used to describe a state of having no strength left, often from fear, shock, or exhaustion.
  • Nghe tin dữ, bà ấy đứng không vững, chân tay mềm nhũn. (Upon hearing the bad news, she couldn't stand steadily, her limbs went weak and limp.)

1. Limbs
2. như tay chân
   • lao động chân tay
     manual labour, manual work