cỡi kình
Definition
- Verb phrase (idiomatic):
- To ride a whale: A classical Vietnamese literary idiom meaning to possess extraordinary talent or learning, often used to describe a scholar of exceptional ability. It metaphorically refers to mastering vast and profound knowledge, as if one could command a great sea creature.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Nhà thơ đó thật sự có tài cỡi kình. (That poet truly has the talent of one who rides a whale.)
- Trong bài văn, cậu ấy được ví như kẻ cỡi kình. (In the essay, he was compared to one who rides a whale.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is almost exclusively used in formal, literary, or highly respectful contexts to praise someone's scholarly prowess or intellectual depth. It is not used in everyday conversation.
Variants and Related Words
- Cưỡi cá kình: This is the longer, more explicit form of the idiom with the same meaning.
- Người xưa ví von bậc trí giả như kẻ cưỡi cá kình. (The ancients likened a wise person to one who rides a whale.)
Synonyms
- Exceptionally learned: Having profound and extensive knowledge.
- A prodigious scholar: A person, especially a young one, with exceptional talents or abilities.
Related Idioms
- Cá vượt Vũ Môn: (The fish leaps over the Vu Mon gate) - Another literary idiom meaning to pass the imperial examinations with high distinction, often used alongside "cỡi kình."
- Ước mơ của các nho sinh là cá vượt Vũ Môn, cỡi kình ngựa sóng. (The dream of Confucian scholars was to leap the Vu Mon gate and ride whales upon the waves.)