Definition

Verb: 1. To throw oneself (into something or someone), to lean or fall into: Describes a sudden, often heavy or uncontrolled, movement of a person or object falling or leaning against something else. 2. To swoop down, to dive down: Describes the rapid, downward movement of a bird, aircraft, or similar object from a higher to a lower position. 3. To plunge into, to get involved in (a negative situation): Describes the act of immersing oneself or becoming deeply involved in an activity, often one that is considered bad, harmful, or morally questionable.

Usage Examples

• To throw oneself/lean into:
  • Đứa trẻ mệt mỏi sà vào lòng mẹ. (The tired child threw himself into his mother's lap.)
  • Cô ấy sà vai vào tường, kiệt sức. (She leaned her shoulder against the wall, exhausted.)
• To swoop down:
  • Con chim ưng sà xuống từ trên cao để bắt con mồi. (The eagle swooped down from above to catch its prey.)
  • Máy bay trực thăng sà thấp để quan sát. (The helicopter swooped low to observe.)
• To plunge into (a negative activity):
  • Anh ta sà vào con đường cờ bạc và mất hết tài sản. (He plunged into gambling and lost all his assets.)
  • Không nên sà vào những tệ nạn xã hội. (One should not get involved in social vices.)

Advanced Usage

• "sà đất": This is a specific compound term in agriculture. It describes the action of a plow or harrow cutting and turning the soil at a shallow depth.
  • Máy cày đang sà đất để chuẩn bị gieo hạt. (The plow is tilling the soil shallowly to prepare for sowing seeds.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sà sà (adverb/adjective): Describes something hanging down low, drooping, or moving/swaying close to the ground.
  • Cành liễu sà sà mặt nước. (The willow branches hang low over the water's surface.)
• Lao vào (verb phrase - synonym): To rush/plunge into. Often used interchangeably with "sà vào" for meanings 1 and 3, but "lao vào" can imply more speed or force.
• Liệng xuống (verb phrase - synonym): To glide/swing down. A close synonym for the "swoop down" meaning.

Synonyms

• Nghĩa 1 & 3: Lao vào (to rush into), dấn thân vào (to commit oneself to - can be neutral or negative), nhào vào (to dive into).
• Nghĩa 2: Liệng xuống (to glide down), đáp xuống (to land/descend), bổ nhào (to nosedive).

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Sà vào: This is the core phrasal structure. It combines with a noun to indicate the target of the action (leaning, plunging, swooping).
  • sà vào lòng mẹ (to fall into mother's embrace)
  • sà vào đám đông (to plunge into the crowd)
  • sà vào tội lỗi (to sink into sin)
• Sà xuống: Combines to indicate the downward direction of the movement.
  • sà xuống mặt đất (to swoop down to the ground)
  • sà xuống thấp (to descend low)

Related Idioms

• Sà lưng (xuống) / Cúi sà lưng: To bend one's back low (in hard work, submission, or respect). It emphasizes a bowed, burdened posture.
  • Ông ấy đã sà lưng làm việc cả đời để nuôi gia đình. (He bent his back working his whole life to feed his family.)

verb

1. to throw oneself
   • sà vào đám bạc
     to throw oneself into a gambling to swoop down
   • chim sà xuống đớp mồi
     birds swoop down and feed