nổi gân
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To have prominent veins; to be veiny: Refers to the condition where veins, typically on the hands, arms, or temples, become visibly raised and pronounced, often due to physical exertion, aging, low body fat, or intense emotion.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Ông ấy nổi gân hết cả tay khi bê thùng nước. (His veins bulged all over his hands when he carried the water crate.)
- Vận động viên thể hình có cánh tay nổi gân rõ. (The bodybuilder has very veiny arms.)
- Cô ấy tức giận đến nỗi trán nổi gân xanh. (She was so angry that a blue vein bulged on her forehead.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is often used to describe a physical state that implies underlying strength, strain, effort, or strong emotion.
- It can be used metaphorically in literature to suggest tension, anger, or intense focus.
- Nhân vật phản diện nổi gân lên thề trả thù. (The villain's veins bulged as he swore revenge.)
Variants and Related Words
- Nổi mạch máu: A less common variant with a similar meaning, literally "to have blood vessels bulge."
- Gân guốc (adj): Describes a person or limbs as bony, sinewy, and muscular, often with visible tendons and veins.
Synonyms
- To be veiny
- To have bulging veins
- To have prominent veins
Related Idioms and Expressions
- Nổi gân xanh: Literally "to bulge a blue/green vein," specifically emphasizing the visible color of the vein, often on the forehead or neck, due to extreme anger or effort.
- Anh ấy cãi nhau nổi gân xanh cổ. (He argued until the veins in his neck bulged.)
- Căng da bụng, chùng da mắt: An idiom meaning "tight belly skin, loose eye skin" (to be full and then sleepy). While not directly related, it shares the structural pattern of describing a physical state and is sometimes humorously contrasted with the tense image of "nổi gân."