Definition

Verb phrase: - To turn away from, to turn one's back: The action of rotating one's body or head to face a different direction, often to avoid looking at something or someone. It implies a deliberate act of aversion, rejection, or ending an interaction.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Khi thấy cảnh tượng đau lòng, cô ấy đã quay đi. (When she saw the heartbreaking scene, she turned away.)
  • Anh ấy tức giận và quay đi mà không nói lời nào. (He was angry and turned his back without a word.)
  • Đừng quay đi khi tôi đang nói chuyện với bạn. (Don't turn away when I'm talking to you.)

Advanced Usage

• "quay đi chỗ khác": to look/turn the other way; to deliberately ignore something.

  • Anh ta chỉ biết quay đi chỗ khác trước những bất công. (He only knows how to look the other way in the face of injustice.)

• "quay đi với nỗi buồn": to turn away with sadness.

  • Cô quay đi với nỗi buồn trong lòng. (She turned away with sadness in her heart.)

Variants and Related Words

• Quay mặt đi (verb phrase): to turn one's face away. A more specific variant emphasizing the movement of the face.

  • Cậu bé xấu hổ quay mặt đi. (The boy was embarrassed and turned his face away.)

• Quay lưng (verb): to turn one's back (on someone/something). Often carries a stronger connotation of abandonment or rejection.

  • Anh ta đã quay lưng với quá khứ. (He turned his back on his past.)

Synonyms

• Ngoảnh đi: to turn away (often a quick or sharp movement).
• Lảng đi: to avoid, to sidestep (focuses more on the intention to avoid rather than the physical turn).

Related Phrases

• Quay đi quay lại (idiomatic expression): in the blink of an eye; very quickly (literally: to turn away and turn back).
  • Quay đi quay lại, đứa trẻ đã lớn. (In the blink of an eye, the child has grown up.)

Related Idioms

• Quay lưng với hiện thực: to turn one's back on reality.
  • Bạn không thể cứ quay lưng với hiện thực mãi được. (You can't just keep turning your back on reality.)

1. Turn away from, turn one's back