sói biển
Definition
- Noun:
- Sea wolf: An informal or literary term for a very experienced and tough old sailor, especially one who has spent many years at sea. It implies resilience, skill, and a deep connection to the maritime life.
- Pirate / Sea rover: In some historical or dramatic contexts, it can refer to a pirate or a fierce adventurer of the seas.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Ông lão thủy thủ đó là một sói biển thực thụ. (That old sailor is a true sea wolf.)
- Những câu chuyện về lũ sói biển cướp bóc khiến mọi người khiếp sợ. (Stories about sea wolves plundering made everyone afraid.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used metaphorically to describe someone with a fierce, independent, and weathered character shaped by a life of hardship and adventure, not necessarily on the sea.
- Sau 30 năm trong ngành xây dựng, ông ấy đúng là một sói biển. (After 30 years in the construction industry, he is a real sea wolf.)
Variants and Related Words
- Lão luyện (adj): seasoned, veteran. Describes deep experience, similar to the quality of a "sói biển."
- Thủy thủ già (n): old sailor. A more common, neutral term for an experienced sailor.
Synonyms
- Old salt: A seasoned sailor.
- Sea dog: An experienced sailor.
- Mariner: A sailor or seaman.
Related Idioms
- Dạn dày sương gió: To be weather-beaten and experienced; to have been through many hardships. This idiom captures the essence of a "sói biển."
- Anh ấy dạn dày sương gió như một sói biển. (He is weather-beaten and experienced like a sea wolf.)