Definition

Verb phrase: - To sweep the ground/floor: Literally describes the action of a garment's hem touching or dragging along the ground surface as someone moves. - To trail on the ground: Describes clothing that is so long it reaches and touches the floor.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Chiếc váy dài của cô ấy quét đất khi cô đi bộ. (Her long dress swept the ground as she walked.)
  • Anh mặc chiếc quần ống rộng quét đất. (He wore wide-legged trousers that trailed on the ground.)

Advanced Usage

• This phrase is primarily used in a descriptive, literal sense for fashion or clothing. It can imply elegance, carelessness, or impracticality depending on the context.
• It is not typically used for the active action of cleaning the floor with a broom. For that meaning, the single verb "quét" (to sweep) is used.

Variants and Related Words

• Quét (verb): To sweep (e.g., sweeping dust, cleaning).
• Chấm đất (verb phrase): To touch the ground (similar meaning, less common).
• Lê thê (adjective): Dragging, trailing (describing something long and dragging).

Synonyms

• Lê trên mặt đất: To drag on the ground.
• Chạm đất: To touch the ground.

Related Idioms/Phrases

• Áo dài quét đất: A traditional long dress (áo dài) that sweeps the ground. This is a common collocation describing the elegant, full-length style of the Vietnamese áo dài.
  • Cô dâu mặc chiếc áo dài trắng quét đất. (The bride wore a white floor-sweeping áo dài.)

1. Sweep the ground
   • Quần cô ta quét đất
     Her trousers swept the ground