lâm kỳ
Definition
- Phrase:
- To reach a fork in the road; to come to a turning point: This phrase describes the moment of arriving at a junction, a fork, or a point where a path or road splits, requiring a choice of direction. It is often used metaphorically to describe reaching a critical decision point in a situation, plan, or one's life.
Usage Examples
- Literal:
- Đi thêm một đoạn nữa là sẽ lâm kỳ. (Go a little further and you will reach the fork in the road.)
- Metaphorical:
- Sự nghiệp của anh ấy đang lâm kỳ, cần một quyết định quan trọng. (His career is at a turning point and needs an important decision.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is formal and literary. It is more commonly found in written Vietnamese, such as in literature or formal speeches, than in everyday conversation.
Variants and Related Words
- Ngã ba/ngã tư (n): intersection, crossroads (a more common, everyday term for a road junction).
- Bước ngoặt (n): turning point (a common noun for a critical moment of change, used similarly to the metaphorical sense of "lâm kỳ").
Synonyms
- To come to a crossroads: To reach a point where a crucial choice must be made.
- To reach a junction: To arrive at a point where roads or paths meet or diverge.
Related Idioms
- Đứng trước ngã ba đường: To stand at a crossroads (a very common idiom with a nearly identical metaphorical meaning to "lâm kỳ").
- Cô ấy đang đứng trước ngã ba đường của cuộc đời. (She is standing at a crossroads in her life.)