kiến bò
Definition
- Noun:
- Pins and needles / Formication: A tingling, prickling, or crawling sensation on the skin, often likened to the feeling of ants crawling on the body. This can be caused by temporary pressure on nerves or other medical conditions.
- Hunger pangs: A colloquial and humorous way to describe the uncomfortable, gnawing, or queasy feeling in the stomach when one is very hungry.
Usage Examples
Noun (Physical Sensation):
- Chân tôi bị tê, có cảm giác kiến bò. (My leg is numb; I have a pins and needles sensation.)
- Triệu chứng đó có thể gây ra cảm giác kiến bò trên da. (That symptom can cause a crawling sensation on the skin.)
Noun (Hunger):
- Đói quá, bụng cứ kiến bò. (I'm so hungry, my stomach is growling/has that antsy feeling.)
- Nghe nói đến đồ ăn là bụng tôi kiến bò. (Just hearing about food makes my stomach rumble with hunger.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is primarily used metaphorically. The physical sensation meaning is a simile ("like ants crawling"), while the hunger meaning is a fixed figurative expression.
Variants and Related Words
- Tê bì: numbness, a related but distinct sensation often accompanied by "kiến bò."
- Cồn cào (bụng): a more intense synonym specifically for the gnawing feeling of hunger.
Synonyms
- Pins and needles: for the physical sensation.
- Formication: the medical term for a sensation resembling insects crawling on the skin.
- Hunger pangs / Gnawing hunger: for the stomach sensation.
Related Idioms
- Kiến bò trong bụng: This is the standard idiom for describing hunger, literally "ants crawling in the stomach."
- Sáng nay chưa ăn gì, kiến bò trong bụng rồi. (I haven't eaten anything this morning; I have ants crawling in my stomach [I'm very hungry].)