quay lưng
Definition
- Verb Phrase:
- To turn one's back on: To physically rotate one's body so that one's back faces someone or something. This action is often a deliberate gesture of rejection, abandonment, disrespect, or refusal to engage.
- To abandon / to reject: To willfully disregard, forsake, or renounce a person, group, principle, or duty.
Usage Examples
- Verb Phrase:
- Anh ấy tức giận và quay lưng lại với tôi. (He got angry and turned his back on me.)
- Công ty đã quay lưng với những nguyên tắc ban đầu. (The company turned its back on its original principles.)
- Đừng bao giờ quay lưng với gia đình. (Never turn your back on family.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is used metaphorically more often than literally. It strongly implies a moral or emotional betrayal, not just a physical movement.
- It can describe actions of individuals, organizations, or even governments.
Variants and Related Words
- Ngoảnh mặt làm ngơ: To look away and pretend not to see; to ignore deliberately.
- Cô ấy ngoảnh mặt làm ngơ trước khó khăn của họ. (She looked away and ignored their difficulties.)
Synonyms
- To abandon: To leave completely and finally.
- To forsake: To renounce or give up something valued.
- To reject: To refuse to accept, consider, or be influenced by.
- To desert: To withdraw support or help from, especially in a disloyal way.
Related Idioms
- Quay lưng với quá khứ: To turn one's back on the past; to reject or try to forget one's history or previous life.
- Anh ấy muốn quay lưng với quá khứ đầy sai lầm. (He wants to turn his back on his mistake-filled past.)
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Turn one's back on
