Definition

1. Noun:
   • A traditional Vietnamese children's game: "rồng rắn" refers to a specific, classic game where children line up in a row, each holding onto the waist or shoulders of the person in front, forming a long chain that moves like a dragon or snake.
   • The act of lining up in a long, connected line: By extension, it can describe any long, single-file line of people, especially children, moving together while holding onto each other.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Các em nhỏ đang chơi rồng rắn ngoài sân. (The children are playing the "rồng rắn" game in the yard.)
  • Lớp học tổ chức trò chơi rồng rắn lên mây. (The class organized the "rồng rắn lên mây" game.)
  • Đoàn học sinh đi thành hàng rồng rắn vào tham quan bảo tàng. (The group of students entered the museum in a long, single-file line.)

Advanced Usage

• "rồng rắn lên mây": This is the full name of the traditional game. It is often chanted as a rhyme during play. The phrase itself means "dragon-snake ascends to the clouds."
  • Bài đồng dao "Rồng rắn lên mây" rất quen thuộc với trẻ em Việt Nam. (The folk verse "Dragon-snake ascends to the clouds" is very familiar to Vietnamese children.)

Variants and Related Words

• Chơi rồng rắn (Verb phrase): To play the "rồng rắn" game.
  • Chúng tôi thường chơi rồng rắn ở giờ ra chơi. (We often played the "rồng rắn" game during recess.)

Synonyms

• Trò chơi nối đuôi: A descriptive term meaning "the follow-the-tail game."
• Xếp hàng nối đuôi: To line up in a single-file chain.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "Rồng rắn" is inherently part of the idiomatic game name. The game involves a chant and a playful interaction where the "head" of the snake/dragon protects the "tail" from being caught by another player acting as a "doctor" or "catcher." This structure is central to understanding the term.

1. Fellow-my-leader