cụp tai

cụp tai

Con chó bị chủ mắng liền cụp tai lại.

Definition
  1. Verb:
    • To have one's ears droop/down: Describes the physical action of an animal, typically a dog, lowering or flattening its ears against its head. This often signifies a submissive, fearful, or dejected emotional state.
    • (Figurative) To be crestfallen, to be dejected, to be downcast: Used to describe a person who looks utterly defeated, ashamed, or dispirited, similar to a dog with its tail between its legs.
Usage Examples
  • Verb:
    • Con chó bị chủ mắng liền cụp tai lại. (The dog, being scolded by its owner, immediately drooped its ears.)
    • Thua trận đấu đó, cả đội cụp tai ra về. (Having lost that match, the whole team left crestfallen.)
    • Nghe thấy tiếng quát, nó cụp tai chạy mất. (Upon hearing the yell, it tucked its tail and ran off.)
Advanced Usage

  • "cụp tai chạy mất" / "cụp đuôi chạy mất": To run away with one's tail between one's legs; to flee in a cowardly or defeated manner.

    • Kẻ bắt nạt thấy đối thủ mạnh hơn liền cụp tai chạy mất. (The bully, seeing a stronger opponent, immediately ran away with his tail between his legs.)

  • "mặt cụp tai": A dejected/dispirited face.

    • Cậu ấy về nhà với mặt cụp tai sau khi bị sếp khiển trách. (He came home with a dejected face after being reprimanded by the boss.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Cụp đuôi (Verb): Literally "to tuck its tail". Used interchangeably with "cụp tai" in figurative contexts to describe a state of defeat or submission.

    • Sau thất bại, hắn ta cụp đuôi mà đi. (After the failure, he left with his tail between his legs.)

  • Cụp (Verb): To fold down, to close (e.g., an umbrella - cụp ô), to droop. "Cụp tai" is a specific application of this verb.

Synonyms
  • Xịu mặt (Verb): To have a long face; to look sullen or disappointed.
  • Thất thần (Adj/Verb): To be distraught, to be in a daze (often from shock or sadness).
  • Rủ xuống (Verb): To droop, to hang down (for physical objects, less emotional).
Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

Note: "Cụp tai" itself is a fixed phrase and does not form common phrasal verbs with other particles.

Related Idioms
  • Như chó cụp tai: (To look) like a dog with its ears down; utterly dejected and ashamed.
    • Nghe xong bản án, tên tội phạm đứng đó như chó cụp tai. (After hearing the sentence, the criminal stood there like a dog with its ears down.)