Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Thorny, tense, critical: Describes a situation, problem, or moment that is extremely difficult, complicated, and filled with tension or suspense, often to the point of being precarious or seemingly unresolvable.
   • Nail-biting, suspenseful: Describes a plot, story, or event that is very exciting and tense, keeping one in suspense.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Vấn đề này rất gay cấn và cần được xử lý ngay. (This is a very thorny problem and needs to be handled immediately.)
  • Cuộc đối đầu giữa hai đội bóng diễn ra vô cùng gay cấn. (The confrontation between the two football teams was extremely tense.)
  • Bộ phim có cốt truyện gay cấn từ đầu đến cuối. (The movie has a suspenseful plot from beginning to end.)

Advanced Usage

• "tình thế gay cấn": a critical/dire situation.
  • Họ phải đưa ra quyết định nhanh chóng trong tình thế gay cấn đó. (They had to make a quick decision in that critical situation.)
• "phút giây gay cấn": a tense/momentous moment.
  • Mọi người đều nín thở chờ đợi trong những phút giây gay cấn cuối cùng của trận đấu. (Everyone held their breath waiting during the final tense moments of the match.)

Variants and Related Words

• Gay go (adj): arduous, strenuous, tough. Often used to describe difficult work or a challenging process.
  • Cuộc đàm phán gay go kéo dài nhiều ngày. (The arduous negotiations lasted for many days.)
• Căng thẳng (adj): tense, stressful. Focuses more on the state of tension and pressure.
  • Không khí trong phòng rất căng thẳng. (The atmosphere in the room was very tense.)

Synonyms

• Phức tạp: complicated, complex.
• Khó khăn: difficult.
• Hồi hộp: suspenseful, thrilling (emphasizes the feeling of excitement and anxiety).

Related Phrases / Idioms

• "Vào hồi gay cấn": at the climax, at the most critical/suspenseful point.
  • Truyện trở nên ly kỳ vào hồi gay cấn. (The story becomes thrilling at its climax.)

adjective

1. thorny; ticklish
   • vấn đề gay cấn
     thorny matter