thi gan
Definition
- Idiom (Verb phrase):
- To have a contest of endurance or bravery; to dare each other: This idiom describes a situation where two or more parties engage in a stubborn contest to see who can withstand difficulty, danger, or challenge longer. It implies a test of nerve, patience, or resilience.
- To challenge; to defy; to brave: It can also mean to openly confront or defy a difficult situation or opponent, showing one's courage or stubbornness.
Usage Examples
- Idiom:
- Hai tay đua xe thi gan trên đường đông. (The two racers dared each other on the crowded road.)
- Công ty nhỏ đó đang thi gan với các tập đoàn lớn. (That small company is defying the large corporations.)
- Nó thi gan ngồi im không nói gì cả. (He stubbornly sat in silence, saying nothing.)
Advanced Usage
- The idiom often carries a connotation of recklessness or foolish bravery in addition to mere endurance. It is frequently used in contexts of conflict, competition, or facing danger.
Variants and Related Words
- Gan lì (adj): stubbornly brave, having grit.
- Kẻ tội phạm tỏ ra rất gan lì. (The criminal showed himself to be very stubbornly brave.)
Synonyms
- To outlast: to endure longer than someone else.
- To brave: to endure or face courageously.
- To defy: to resist or challenge openly.
Related Idioms
Thử thách lòng gan dạ: to test one's courage.
- Chuyến phiêu lưu là để thử thách lòng gan dạ. (The adventure is to test one's courage.)
Được voi đòi tiên: to be greedy (literally: given an elephant, to demand a fairy). This is sometimes used in similar contexts of pushing limits or making unreasonable demands in a challenge.
- Đừng có được voi đòi tiên, thi gan với số phận. (Don't be greedy, challenging fate like that.)