Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Topsy-turvy, in utter disarray: Describes a state where things are thrown open, scattered, and turned completely upside down, appearing messy, chaotic, and disorderly.
   • In a jumbled mess: Refers to a scene of extreme confusion and untidiness, with items strewn about haphazardly.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Bọn trẻ nghịch ngợm làm căn phòng tanh bành. (The mischievous children left the room topsy-turvy.)
  • Sau trận lốc xoáy, khu vườn trở nên tanh bành. (After the tornado, the garden was in utter disarray.)
  • Đừng quẳng sách vở tanh bành trên sàn như thế. (Don't throw your books and papers in a jumbled mess on the floor like that.)

Advanced Usage

• The word is often used to emphasize a high degree of mess and chaos, typically resulting from active disruption, searching, or destruction, rather than just passive untidiness.

Variants and Related Words

• Bừa bộn (adj): Messy, untidy. (Suggests clutter but not necessarily the same level of violent disruption as ).
• Ngổn ngang (adj): Lying around in disorder, strewn about. (Often describes items scattered about, creating an obstacle).

Synonyms

• Chaotic: In a state of complete confusion and disorder.
• Disheveled: Untidy, disordered (often for appearance or spaces).
• Higgledy-piggledy: In a confused, disordered, or random manner.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Phá tanh bành: To wreck or destroy something completely, leaving a scene of chaos.
  • Lũ chuột đã phá tanh bành kho thóc. (The rats wrecked the grain store, leaving it in chaos.)
• Mở tanh bành: To throw something wide open, often resulting in a mess.
  • Nó mở tanh bành vali ra tìm chiếc áo. (He threw his suitcase wide open to look for the shirt, making a mess.)

adj

1. topsy-turvy