tràng thiên
Definition
- Adjective:
- Long-winded, rambling, or protracted: Describes speech or writing that is excessively long, often to the point of being tedious or lacking conciseness. It implies a drawn-out, meandering quality.
- Lengthy and digressive: Pertaining to a narrative or explanation that extends over a great length with many unnecessary details or tangents.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Bài viết của anh ấy quá tràng thiên, làm người đọc mệt mỏi. (His writing is too long-winded, making the reader tired.)
- Đừng có giải thích tràng thiên nữa, hãy đi thẳng vào vấn đề đi. (Stop giving such a rambling explanation; get straight to the point.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in a critical or negative sense to describe communication that is inefficient due to its excessive length and lack of focus.
Variants and Related Words
- Trường thiên (adj): This is a direct variant with the same meaning: lengthy, long-drawn-out. It is the form referenced in many dictionaries.
- Câu chuyện trường thiên của bà cụ khiến lũ trẻ buồn ngủ. (The old woman's long-winded story made the children sleepy.)
Synonyms
- Prolix: Using too many words; tediously lengthy.
- Verbose: Using more words than needed; wordy.
- Discursive: Digressing from subject to subject.
- Protracted: Lasting for a long time or longer than expected.
Related Idioms
- Dài dòng văn tự: An idiom with a very similar meaning, emphasizing unnecessary length in speech or text.
- Báo cáo đừng dài dòng văn tự, chỉ cần nêu ý chính. (The report shouldn't be long-winded; just state the main points.)