quá tay
Definition
- Adjective/Adverbial Phrase:
- Excessive in force or amount due to a misjudged action: Describes an action performed with more strength, intensity, or quantity than intended, typically resulting from a momentary lapse in control or judgment, often by hand.
- To go overboard (with a physical action): To inadvertently apply too much force or add too much of something while doing a manual task.
Usage Examples
- Adjective/Adverbial Phrase:
- Anh ấy đánh con quá tay. (He hit his child too hard.)
- Cô ấy nêm gia vị quá tay. (She seasoned the food too heavily.)
- Tôi đẩy cánh cửa quá tay. (I pushed the door too forcefully.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often implies a lack of intention or an accident caused by carelessness or a sudden loss of fine motor control. It is frequently used in contexts of cooking, physical discipline, or manual tasks.
- It can describe non-physical actions metaphorically, implying an excessive investment of resources (e.g., money, effort) in a careless way, though this is an extended, colloquial use.
Variants and Related Words
- Lỡ tay (v): to do something by accidental hand motion. This is a close synonym but often emphasizes pure accident over the resulting excess.
- Tôi lỡ tay làm vỡ ly. (I accidentally broke the glass.)
Synonyms
- Overdo it: to do something to an excessive degree.
- Heavy-handed: using too much force or lacking subtlety.
- Overzealous: showing too much enthusiasm, leading to excess.
Related Idioms
- Quá chân: to overstep, to go too far (literally "excessive foot"). This idiom shares the structure of "quá + [body part]" to indicate excess in action.
- Anh ta đùa quá chân rồi. (His joking has gone too far.)