chổng kềnh

Thân thiện

Trượt chân trên vỏ chuối, ông ấy ngã chổng kềnh.

Definition

1. Adjective/Adverbial phrase:
   • On one's back; lying supine with limbs in the air: Describes a position where a person, animal, or object is lying with its back or top side on the ground and its underside exposed upwards, often implying an awkward or helpless posture.
   • Overturned; upside down: Specifically used for objects, especially vehicles, that have tipped over completely, resting on their top or side.

Usage Examples

• Adjective/Adverbial phrase:
  • Nó ngã chổng kềnh trên sàn. (He fell flat on his back on the floor.)
  • Chiếc xe đạp đổ chổng kềnh giữa đường. (The bicycle lay overturned in the middle of the road.)
  • Con bọ hung nằm chổng kềnh, không sao lật lại được. (The beetle was stuck on its back, unable to right itself.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is often used in a figurative sense to describe a state of complete failure, disarray, or helplessness.
  • Dự án của họ thất bại chổng kềnh. (Their project failed spectacularly / ended up in a complete mess.)

Variants and Related Words

• Chỏng kềnh: An alternative, equally common spelling of the same word.
• Chổng gọng: A less common variant with a similar meaning of being overturned or in a topsy-turvy state.

Synonyms

• Supine: Lying face upward.
• Overturned: Turned over onto the top or side.
• Upside down: With the upper part where the lower part should be.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Ngã chổng kềnh: To fall flat on one's back.
  • Trượt chân trên băng, ông ấy ngã chổng kềnh. (Slipping on the ice, he fell flat on his back.)
• Đổ chổng kềnh: To be overturned; to tip over completely.
  • Cơn gió mạnh làm chiếc bàn đổ chổng kềnh. (The strong wind blew the table over.)

Học thuật

1. On one's back, on its back
   • ngã chổng kềnh
     to fall on one's back
   • xe đổ chổng kềnh
     the car was overturned on its top, the car was turned upside down