trắng chân
Definition
- Adjective (Idiomatic):
- To lose every round/game (in a gambling session): Describes a gambler who loses continuously throughout an entire session without winning a single hand, round, or game. It implies a complete and total loss.
- To be utterly unsuccessful (in a competitive endeavor): Used figuratively to describe someone who fails completely in a series of attempts or competitions, ending with nothing.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Tối qua anh ta đánh bài, trắng chân về. (Last night he played cards, he lost every game and went home.)
- Đội bóng của họ đã trắng chân trong giải đấu. (Their football team was utterly unsuccessful in the tournament.)
Advanced Usage
- This term originates from gambling contexts (cards, dice, board games) but can be applied metaphorically to other competitive scenarios like business, sports, or exams, where one experiences repeated failure.
Variants and Related Words
- Trắng tay (adj): to be left empty-handed, to lose everything.
- Sau vụ đầu tư thất bại, ông ấy trắng tay. (After the failed investment, he was left empty-handed.)
Synonyms
- To be cleaned out: To lose all one's money, especially in gambling.
- To lose every round: To be defeated in every game.
- To fail completely: To be entirely unsuccessful.
Related Idioms
- Trắng tay trắng chân: An intensified form meaning to lose absolutely everything, leaving one with nothing at all.
- Cửa hàng đóng cửa, anh ấy trắng tay trắng chân. (The shop closed down, and he lost everything.)