kéo cưa
Definition
Verb: - To drag on, to be prolonged tediously: Refers to a situation, process, or event that continues for an excessively long time without conclusion, often in a boring, slow, or inefficient manner.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Công việc này cứ kéo cưa mãi mà không thấy xong. (This job just keeps dragging on without any end in sight.)
- Cuộc đàm phán đã kéo cưa suốt ba tháng. (The negotiation has been dragging on for three months.)
- Đừng để việc học bài kéo cưa đến tận khuya. (Don't let your study session drag on until late at night.)
Advanced Usage
- "kéo cưa lừa xẻ": This is a common idiom that uses "kéo cưa" as a component. It describes a situation of mutual deception or a stalemate where two parties are trying to outwit or take advantage of each other, resulting in a prolonged deadlock.
- Hai bên cứ kéo cưa lừa xẻ nhau, không bên nào chịu nhường. (The two sides keep trying to outwit each other in a stalemate, with neither willing to concede.)
Variants and Related Words
- Kéo dài (verb): To prolong, to extend. This is a more general and formal synonym for extending the duration of something.
- Họ quyết định kéo dài thời hạn nộp bài. (They decided to extend the submission deadline.)
- Lê thê (adjective/adverb): Dragging, long-drawn-out. Describes something that is tediously prolonged.
- Câu chuyện của ông ấy kể lê thê cả tiếng đồng hồ. (His story dragged on for a whole hour.)
Synonyms
- Kéo dài: To prolong, to extend.
- Lê thê: To be long-drawn-out, to drag.
- Chậm chạp: Slow, sluggish (describes pace, can imply a dragged-out process).
Related Idioms
- Kéo cưa lừa xẻ: As explained in the Advanced Usage section, this idiom specifically refers to a prolonged situation of mutual trickery or stalemate.
verb
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to drag on
