trúc tra trúc trắc

Chiếc xe cũ chạy trúc tra trúc trắc trên con đường gập ghềnh.

Definition

Adjective:
- Uneven, bumpy, rough: Describes a surface or path that is not smooth, having many small ups and downs, causing a jolting or unstable feeling.
- Unstable, unsteady, precarious: Describes a situation, condition, or object that is not firm, secure, or reliable, often leading to uncertainty or difficulty.

Usage Examples

Adjective:
- Con đường vào làng trúc tra trúc trắc, rất khó đi. (The road to the village is bumpy and uneven, very difficult to travel.)
- Chiếc xe chạy trúc tra trúc trắc trên con đường đất. (The car ran roughly on the dirt road.)
- Tình hình chính trị đang diễn biến trúc tra trúc trắc. (The political situation is developing in an unstable and unpredictable manner.)
- Mối quan hệ giữa hai công ty khá trúc tra trúc trắc. (The relationship between the two companies is quite precarious.)

Advanced Usage

Often used to describe the physical sensation of movement over a rough surface or the metaphorical feeling of an unstable process.
Can be used in a reduplicative form for emphasis, similar to "trúc trắc," which it is often synonymous with or a variant of.

Variants and Related Words

Trúc trắc (adj): The more standard and commonly used form with the same meanings: uneven, bumpy, unstable.
- Công việc tiến triển trúc trắc. (The work is progressing erratically.)
Gập ghềnh (adj): Rugged, rough (often for terrain), conveying a similar meaning of physical unevenness.
Chông gai (adj/n): Thorny, fraught with difficulties (more metaphorical).

Synonyms

Related Idioms

Đường đi trúc trắc: A bumpy road (literally); a path fraught with difficulties (figuratively).
- Sự nghiệp của anh ấy đã trải qua một quãng đường đi trúc trắc. (His career has gone through a bumpy path.)
Tiến thoái lưỡng nan: To be in a dilemma, between a rock and a hard place (describes a difficult, unstable situation where any choice is hard).