Definition

1. Verb:
   • To splay, to spread out, to fan out: Describes something, often flexible or consisting of multiple parts, separating or extending outward in different directions from a central point. It implies a loss of neat, tight grouping.
   • To bifurcate, to fork: Specifically refers to something splitting into two separate branches or parts, like a road or a bird's tail.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Đuôi chim công toẽ ra như một chiếc quạt rực rỡ. (The peacock's tail fans out like a brilliant fan.)
  • Con đường toẽ ra làm hai hướng ở cuối làng. (The road forks into two directions at the end of the village.)
  • Cô bé để tóc ướt toẽ ra trên gối. (The little girl let her wet hair splay out on the pillow.)

Advanced Usage

• "toẽ càng": to splay one's legs; to sit or stand with legs spread apart.

  • Cậu bé ngồi toẽ càng trên sàn nhà. (The boy sat with his legs splayed on the floor.)

• "toẽ hoa": (of flowers) to bloom/open fully, with petals spreading out.

  • Hoa sen toẽ hoa dưới ánh mặt trời buổi sáng. (The lotus flower blooms fully under the morning sun.)

Variants and Related Words

• Tõe (v): A common variant spelling with the same meaning as "toẽ."

  • Bánh xe tõe bùn ra hai bên đường. (The wheel splashed mud out to both sides of the road.)

• Toe toét (adj): Describes a wide, often messy or grinning, open mouth.

  • Đứa trẻ cười toe toét. (The child grinned from ear to ear.)

Synonyms

• Splay: To spread things out wide.
• Fan out: To spread apart like a fan.
• Bifurcate: To divide into two branches.
• Diverge: To extend in different directions from a point.

Related Idioms

• Đầu tóc toẽ ra: (Hair is) disheveled, messy, and spread out.

  • Thức dậy muộn, đầu tóc chị ấy toẽ ra hết cả. (Waking up late, her hair was all disheveled.)

• Toẽ lông ra: (For birds) to ruffle or puff out its feathers.

  • Con gà trống toẽ lông ra để đe dọa đối thủ. (The rooster puffed out its feathers to threaten its rival.)