Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Tortuous, winding, full of sharp bends: Describes a path, road, or line that has many twists and turns, not straight.
   • Devious, deceitful, not straightforward: Describes a person's character, behavior, or speech that is cunning, indirect, and difficult to trust.

Usage Examples

• Adjective (describing a path):

  • Đường gì mà ngoắt ngoéo thế này! (What a tortuous/winding road this is!)
  • Con đường mòn ngoắt ngoéo qua rừng. (The trail winds tortuously through the forest.)

• Adjective (describing a person or behavior):

  • Nó ngoắt ngoéo lắm, không tin được đâu. (He is very devious/deceitful, don't trust him.)
  • Lời nói của hắn rất ngoắt ngoéo. (His words are very twisted/devious.)

Advanced Usage

• Used to describe complex, non-linear thought processes or arguments.
  • Lập luận ngoắt ngoéo của anh ta khiến mọi người bối rối. (His tortuous reasoning confused everyone.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngoằn ngoèo (adj): Also means winding or zigzagging, but often implies a smoother, more sinuous curve rather than sharp angles. It is less commonly used for describing deceitful character.
• Quanh co (adj): Meandering, roundabout; can describe both physical paths and indirect speech.

Synonyms

• For paths: Winding, twisting, serpentine, zigzag.
• For behavior: Devious, deceitful, cunning, scheming, indirect.

Related Idioms

• Đường đi nước bước ngoắt ngoéo: A phrase describing a complicated, multi-step plan or a tricky course of action.
  • Kế hoạch của họ đường đi nước bước ngoắt ngoéo. (Their plan has many devious twists and turns.)

1. Tortuous, devious
   • Đường gì mà ngoắt ngoéo thế này!
     What a tortuous road!
   • Nó ngoắt ngoéo lắm, không tin được đâu
     He is very tortuous, don't trust him