Definition

1. Intransitive Verb:
   • To whirl, to spin rapidly and uncontrollably: Describes a state of rapid, dizzying, or chaotic circular motion, either physical or metaphorical.
   • To be in a state of frantic activity or mental confusion: Describes being overwhelmed, extremely busy, or mentally disoriented, as if spinning.

Usage Examples

• Literal (Physical Motion):

  • Chiếc lá khô quay cuồng trong cơn lốc. (The dry leaf whirled in the whirlwind.)
  • Cô ấy cảm thấy mặt đất như đang quay cuồng. (She felt the ground was spinning.)

• Metaphorical (Mental/Emotional State):

  • Đầu óc tôi quay cuồng vì có quá nhiều quyết định phải đưa ra. (My mind is in a whirl because there are too many decisions to make.)
  • Anh ấy quay cuồng với công việc từ sáng đến tối. (He is frantically busy with work from morning till night.)

Advanced Usage

• "quay cuồng trong...": to be caught in a whirl of/ to be overwhelmed by.

  • Quay cuồng trong những lo toan thường nhật. (To be caught in a whirl of daily worries.)

• "cuộc sống quay cuồng": a hectic/whirlwind life.

  • Cuộc sống quay cuồng ở thành phố lớn. (The hectic life in a big city.)

Variants and Related Words

• Quay (verb): to turn, to rotate, to spin. This is the root verb.

  • Bánh xe quay. (The wheel turns.)

• Cuồng (adjective/adverb): frantic, frenzied, wild. This element intensifies the meaning.

  • Cuồng nhiệt (adj): passionate, fervent.

Note on Spelling: The form "quây cuồng" is an older or variant spelling, now less common, with the same core meaning of making frantic efforts.

Synonyms

• Chóng mặt: to feel dizzy (more focused on the physical sensation).
• Hỗn loạn: chaotic, disorderly (describes the state, not the action).
• Bận rộn tối tăm mặt mũi: to be extremely busy (an idiomatic phrase).

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Quay cuồng như chong chóng: To whirl like a pinwheel; to be extremely busy or active.

  • Một ngày làm việc khiến tôi quay cuồng như chong chóng. (A day of work made me whirl like a pinwheel.)

• Quay cuồng tìm lối thoát: To whirl around looking for a way out; to be in a state of panic trying to find a solution.

  • Công ty gặp khủng hoảng, giám đốc quay cuồng tìm lối thoát. (The company is in crisis, the director is whirling around looking for a way out.)

verb

1. to whirl
   • đầu óc quay cuồng
     to be in a whirl. to turn round and round