quèo chân
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To trip someone (with the leg/foot): The primary meaning of "quèo chân" is the deliberate act of using one's leg or foot to hook around another person's leg to make them stumble or fall. It describes a specific physical action, often seen in informal wrestling, play-fighting, or as a mischievous or aggressive act.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Nó bị bạn quèo chân ngã sóng soài. (He was tripped by his friend and fell flat.)
- Đừng quèo chân nhau khi đang chơi đùa, rất nguy hiểm. (Don't trip each other while playing; it's very dangerous.)
- Cầu thủ đối phương bị phạt vì quèo chân tiền đạo của đội ta. (The opposing player was penalized for tripping our team's striker.)
Advanced Usage
- The action is typically quick and uses a hooking motion. It can be used metaphorically in very casual speech to describe causing someone to fail or stumble in a non-physical sense, though this is less common.
Variants and Related Words
- Quẹo chân: This is a common regional variant (Southern Vietnamese) with the same meaning and usage.
- Cản chân: to block someone's leg/foot; this can be a broader term for impeding someone's movement but does not necessarily imply the specific hooking action of "quèo chân."
Synonyms
- To trip (someone): to cause someone to stumble or fall by catching their foot.
- To leg-trip: a more specific synonym for using the leg to cause a fall.
Related Idioms
- While "quèo chân" itself is a descriptive phrase, it is conceptually related to the idea of unfair or underhanded tactics to make someone fail.
- Chơi xấu: to play dirty. "Quèo chân" is often an example of "chơi xấu."