cù đinh
Definition
- Noun:
- A type of syphilitic ulcer or chancre: A hard, primary lesion or sore that is a symptom of syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection.
- A stubborn, persistent, and annoying person or thing (figurative, colloquial): Used to describe someone or something that is irritatingly persistent, difficult to get rid of, or a constant nuisance, much like a chronic sore.
Usage Examples
- Noun (Medical):
- Triệu chứng ban đầu có thể là một cù đinh. (The initial symptom can be a chancre.)
- Noun (Figurative):
- Thằng bé đó là cái cù đinh, lúc nào cũng bám theo tôi. (That kid is a real pest, always clinging to me.)
- Vấn đề này như cái cù đinh, mãi không giải quyết được. (This problem is like a stubborn ulcer, it never gets resolved.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is now considered archaic in its primary medical sense, with modern medicine using specific clinical terms. Its contemporary use is almost entirely figurative and colloquial to express annoyance.
- "cù đinh thiên pháo": This is a very rare, almost proverbial phrase. It describes something that is completely immovable, fixed, and stubborn, like a "heaven-anchored cannon" or a "chancre nailed by a cannon."
Variants and Related Words
- Chancre (n): The direct English medical term for the primary sore of syphilis.
- Loét (n): Ulcer; a more general term for a sore or lesion.
Synonyms
- Chancre: For the medical definition.
- Pest, nuisance, annoyance: For the figurative meaning.
- Stubborn thing, persistent problem: For the figurative meaning describing a situation.
Related Idioms
- Cứng như cù đinh: To be as hard/stubborn as a chancre; meaning to be extremely obstinate or unyielding.
- Nó cứng như cù đinh, không chịu nghe ai. (He is as stubborn as a mule and won't listen to anyone.)