thài lài
Definition
- Adjective:
- Splayed or sprawled (of legs): Describes a posture where someone is lying down or sitting with their legs spread wide apart in a careless, relaxed, or ungraceful manner.
- Noun:
- A plant species: Refers to a type of small plant, often with paired leaves that may have colored spots, commonly cultivated as an ornamental plant. Its scientific name is Tradescantia spathacea or related species in the Commelinaceae family.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Đứa trẻ nằm thài lài trên sàn nhà. (The child lay sprawled on the floor.)
- Anh ta ngồi thài lài trên ghế, rất mất lịch sự. (He sat with his legs splayed on the chair, which was very impolite.)
- Noun:
- Bà tôi trồng một khóm thài lài trong chậu. (My grandmother grows a clump of thài lài in a pot.)
- Lá cây thài lài có những sọc màu tím rất đẹp. (The leaves of the thài lài plant have very beautiful purple stripes.)
Advanced Usage
- The adjectival usage often carries a negative connotation, implying a lack of decorum, discipline, or proper posture. It is frequently used in criticism.
- As a noun, it is a common, non-scientific name for a specific ornamental plant. Context usually makes it clear whether the plant or the posture is being referred to.
Variants and Related Words
- Nằm thài lài (verb phrase): To lie sprawled out.
- Ngồi thài lài (verb phrase): To sit with legs splayed.
Synonyms
- Adjective: Sprawled, splayed, spread-eagled.
- Noun: Boat lily, oyster plant, Moses-in-the-cradle (common English names for ).
Related Idioms
- While not a standalone idiom, the phrase "nằm thài lài" is a fixed descriptive collocation for depicting an ungainly, spread-out lying position.