thông thống
Definition
- Adjective:
- Open and unobstructed: Describes a space, passage, or structure that is completely open, without any barriers, partitions, or coverings, allowing for free and unimpeded movement or flow of air.
- Exposed to the elements: Often implies a space is so open that it is subject to wind and weather from all sides.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Căn nhà bỏ hoang, cửa nẻo thông thống. (The abandoned house had wide-open doors and windows.)
- Thiết kế văn phòng kiểu thông thống không có vách ngăn. (The office has an open-plan design without partitions.)
- Cổng ngõ thông thống, ai vào cũng được. (The gate is completely open; anyone can enter.)
Advanced Usage
- Used to emphasize a state of being utterly open, often with a connotation of being too exposed, insecure, or lacking privacy.
- Kho chứa thông thống, đồ đạc dễ bị mất. (The storage is completely exposed, so items are easily lost.)
Variants and Related Words
- Thông suốt (adj): clear, unobstructed (often for traffic, communication, or understanding).
- Đường phố thông suốt sau khi giải tỏa. (The street is clear after the clearance.)
- Thoáng (adj): airy, ventilated, less emphatic than "thông thống."
Synonyms
- Unobstructed: Not blocked.
- Exposed: Open to view or to the elements.
- Open-plan: Having large open spaces (for architecture).
Related Idioms
- Thông thống như nhà mở: As open as a house with no doors (a simile emphasizing complete exposure).
- Căn lều ấy thông thống như nhà mở. (That shack is as open as a house with no doors.)