thả cỏ
Definition
- Verb (idiomatic, dated):
- To pasture (livestock): Literally, to release cattle or buffalo to graze freely in a field so they may grow fat without being put to work.
- To let (a wife) roam freely: In the context of old Vietnamese society, this phrase described a husband granting his wife the freedom to have extramarital affairs or engage in promiscuous behavior, often implying a lack of care or respect within the marriage.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Mùa này lúa đã gặt xong, bác nông dân thả cỏ cho đàn trâu. (This season, the rice has been harvested, so the farmer pastures the herd of buffalo.)
- Trong xã hội phong kiến, một số người đàn ông giàu có "thả cỏ" vợ mình, không quan tâm đến họ. (In feudal society, some wealthy men would "let their wives roam," paying no attention to them.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is strongly associated with a patriarchal, feudal social structure where women had low status and could be treated as property. Its use in modern contexts is rare and would be considered highly archaic and derogatory.
Variants and Related Words
- Thả rông (v): To let roam freely (can be used for animals or, informally, for people).
- Không nên thả rông chó trong công viên. (You shouldn't let dogs roam freely in the park.)
Synonyms
- To neglect (a spouse): To fail to care for or pay proper attention to one's partner.
- To allow to wander: To permit to move about without restriction.
Related Idioms
Thả nổi: To let drift, to leave to its own fate.
- Công ty thả nổi dự án đó từ lâu. (The company let that project drift long ago.)
Nuôi lợn chạy rông: Literally "to raise pigs that roam free," meaning to invest in something without proper control or management.
- Đầu tư mà không giám sát thì khác nào nuôi lợn chạy rông. (Investing without supervision is like raising pigs that roam free.)