dần mòn
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To wear down gradually, to erode slowly: Refers to the process of something being slowly reduced, diminished, or consumed over time until it is exhausted or significantly weakened. It describes a slow, continuous, and often imperceptible process of attrition.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Sự căng thẳng trong công việc đã dần mòn sức khỏe của anh ấy. (Work-related stress gradually wore down his health.)
- Theo thời gian, nước mưa dần mòn lớp đá. (Over time, rainwater slowly erodes the rock layer.)
- Những lo lắng cứ dần mòn tinh thần cô ấy. (The worries kept gradually eroding her spirit.)
Advanced Usage
- Used figuratively for abstract concepts: Commonly used to describe the slow, draining effect on non-physical things like spirit, willpower, patience, or love.
- Lòng tin của họ vào chính phủ đang bị dần mòn bởi bê bối. (Their trust in the government is being gradually eroded by scandal.)
- Implies a negative, exhausting process: The phrase inherently suggests a detrimental, weakening process that leads to depletion.
Variants and Related Words
- Mòn (Verb): To wear out, to erode. This is the core verb; "dần" adds the meaning of "gradually."
- Đôi giày này đã bị mòn đế. (The soles of these shoes are worn out.)
- Bào mòn (Verb): To erode, to corrode. A stronger, more technical synonym often used for physical erosion.
- Gió và cát bào mòn các tượng đá. (Wind and sand erode the stone statues.)
- Hao mòn (Verb/Noun): Depletion, wear and tear. Often used in technical or economic contexts.
- hao mòn thiết bị (equipment depreciation/wear and tear)
Synonyms
- Xói mòn: To erode (often used for land/soil by water).
- Làm suy yếu dần: To weaken gradually.
- Làm kiệt quệ dần: To exhaust gradually.
Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)
Note: As a verb phrase itself, "dần mòn" functions similarly to a phrasal verb. Here are related Vietnamese constructions. - Ăn mòn: To corrode (used for chemical corrosion or figurative erosion). - Sự ghen tuông ăn mòn hạnh phúc gia đình. (Jealousy corrodes family happiness.) - Mài mòn: To grind down, to wear down through friction. - Công việc nhàm chán mài mòn sự sáng tạo. (Monotonous work grinds down creativity.)
Related Idioms
- Nước chảy đá mòn: Literally "Flowing water wears away stone." Equivalent to "Constant dripping wears away a stone" or "Perseverance prevails." It highlights the power of a slow, persistent force (which is the process described by "dần mòn").
- Hãy kiên nhẫn, nước chảy đá mòn mà. (Be patient, perseverance prevails.)