lăn cù
Definition
- Verb (Intransitive):
- To roll over and over; to tumble (on the ground): The primary meaning describes the action of a person or object turning over repeatedly, often in a circular or uncontrolled manner, like a spinning top. It implies a complete, sometimes rapid, rotation along the ground or a surface.
- To fall down tumbling: Often used to describe a person falling in a way that involves rolling.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Đứa trẻ cười đùa, lăn cù trên bãi cỏ. (The child laughed and played, tumbling on the grass.)
- Chiếc xe đạp mất thăng bằng và ngã lăn cù xuống con dốc. (The bicycle lost balance and tumbled down the slope.)
- Anh ấy bị trượt chân, ngã lăn cù xuống cầu thang. (He slipped and tumbled down the stairs.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often conveys a sense of uncontrolled, rapid, or forceful rolling, more dramatic than simply "lăn" (to roll).
Variants and Related Words
- Lăn quay: A variant with the same meaning as "lăn cù".
- Lăn: (Verb) To roll. A more general term for any rolling motion.
- Cù / Con quay: (Noun) A top (the toy). The word "cù" in "lăn cù" evokes the spinning motion of a top.
Synonyms
- To tumble: To fall or roll end over end.
- To roll over: To turn over completely.
- To somersault: To roll or flip forward or backward (specifically for a person, often intentionally).
Related Idioms
- Ngã lăn cù: To fall down tumbling. This is a very common collocation.
- Cú đấm mạnh khiến đối thủ ngã lăn cù. (The powerful punch made the opponent tumble to the ground.)