ruột gà
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A coil spring; a helical spring: A mechanical component in the shape of a tightly wound, uniform spiral wire, typically made of metal. It is used to store mechanical energy, absorb shock, or maintain force between contacting surfaces. 2. Slang for intestines or guts: In informal Vietnamese, this term can be used metaphorically to refer to a person's intestines or guts, often in contexts of fear or anxiety (e.g., "ruột gà cồn cào").
Usage Examples
- Noun (Mechanical Spring):
- Lò xo trong cây bút bi được gọi là ruột gà. (The spring inside a ballpoint pen is called a coil spring.)
- Chiếc đồng hồ cũ cần thay ruột gà mới. (The old clock needs a new mainspring.)
- Noun (Informal: Intestines):
- Nghe tin đó, ruột gà tôi như thắt lại. (Hearing that news, my guts twisted into knots.)
Advanced Usage
- Technical Context: In mechanics and engineering, "ruột gà" precisely describes a helical compression or tension spring. The term "serpentin" from the French reference is an older technical term for a coil or spiral tube, often in a heat exchanger, which shares the coiled shape.
- Figurative Use: The slang meaning leverages the coiled, tangled visual similarity between a spring and intestines to describe a knotted, uneasy feeling in one's stomach.
Variants and Related Words
- Lò xo (n): The more standard and general term for "spring" (including leaf springs, torsion springs, not just coil springs).
- Dây cót (n): Specifically refers to the mainspring in a clock or watch.
- Ống ruột gà (n): "Flexible conduit" or "corrugated hose"; a flexible, coiled tube used to protect electrical wires or cables, named for its resemblance to the spring's shape.
Synonyms
- Lò xo xoắn ốc (n): Helical spring (more descriptive technical term).
- Bụng dạ (n): Stomach, guts (for the informal meaning, though less vivid).
Related Idioms/Phrases
- Ruột gà cồn cào: An idiom describing a churning, anxious, or nervous feeling in one's stomach.
- Lo lắng chuyện thi cử, ruột gà nó cồn cào cả đêm. (Worried about the exam, his guts were churning all night.)