Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To flee hastily, to run away quickly: "cong đuôi" describes the action of running away at full speed, often out of fear, panic, or to escape a situation. It implies a sudden and rapid departure.
   • To take to one's heels: This is a direct and common English equivalent, capturing the idiomatic and hurried nature of the Vietnamese phrase.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Thấy chó dữ, nó cong đuôi chạy mất. (Seeing the fierce dog, he took to his heels and ran away.)
  • Bọn trộm nghe tiếng còi cảnh sát liền cong đuôi. (The thieves heard the police siren and immediately fled.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is almost exclusively used in the fixed form "chạy cong đuôi" (to run [with a] crooked tail). The image evokes an animal tucking its tail between its legs and running away in fear.
  • Sau khi gây chuyện, nó chỉ biết chạy cong đuôi. (After causing trouble, all he could do was run away with his tail between his legs.)

Variants and Related Words

• Chạy mất dép (verb phrase): to run so fast one loses one's slippers; to run away in great haste.
• Chạy trốn (verb): to flee, to escape.
• Bỏ chạy (verb): to run off, to take flight.

Synonyms

• To flee: chạy trốn.
• To bolt: bỏ chạy vọt.
• To scamper away: chạy nhanh (thường loạng choạng).

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Chạy cong đuôi is itself a fixed verb phrase. It is not typically separated or used with other particles.

Related Idioms

• Chạy như ma đuổi: to run as if chased by a ghost; to run for one's life.
• Chạy bán sống bán chết: to run desperately for one's life.
• Cuốn gói chạy: to pack up and run (implies a more planned but urgent departure).

1. Chạy cong đuôi To take to one's heels