Definition

1. Verb:
   • To struggle; to writhe: To make strong, twisting, and often involuntary movements of the body or limbs, typically as a reaction to being held, being in pain, or trying to free oneself.
   • To resist; to refuse stubbornly: (Colloquial) To react by strongly opposing or refusing to accept something, such as a demand, accusation, or responsibility.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Con cá giãy đành đạch trên thớt. (The fish writhed/flapped on the cutting board.)
  • Đứa bé giãy ra khi mẹ cố gắng cho nó uống thuốc. (The child struggled/writhed when his mother tried to give him medicine.)
  • Nó bị bắt quả tang nhưng vẫn giãy, không chịu nhận tội. (He was caught red-handed but still resisted, refusing to admit guilt.)

Advanced Usage

• "giãy giụa": to struggle violently; to thrash about. This compound intensifies the meaning of "giãy."

  • Con chim bị thương giãy giụa trên mặt đất. (The injured bird thrashed about on the ground.)

• "giãy chết": to be in the death throes; to make final, convulsive struggles.

  • Con rắn nằm giãy chết bên vệ đường. (The snake lay in its death throes by the roadside.)

Variants and Related Words

• Giãy nảy (v): to jerk or start suddenly (often from surprise or pain).
  • Nghe tiếng nổ, nó giãy nảy người lên. (Hearing the bang, he jerked upright.)

Synonyms

• Writhe: to twist the body in pain or discomfort.
• Struggle: to make forceful efforts to get free.
• Flail: to wave or swing wildly.
• Resist: to oppose or fight against.

Related Idioms

• Giãy như đỉa phải vôi: (Literally: to writhe like a leech hit with lime) To struggle or react extremely violently and desperately.

  • Khi bị phát hiện, tên trộm giãy như đỉa phải vôi. (When discovered, the thief struggled desperately.)

• Giãy ra giãy vào: to squirm and fidget; to be unable to sit still (often from discomfort, guilt, or impatience).

  • Ngồi nghe phê bình, nó cứ giãy ra giãy vào. (Sitting and listening to the criticism, he kept squirming.)

verb

1. to strive; to struggle