tăm cá bóng chim
Definition
- Idiom (Thành ngữ):
- "Fish's fin, bird's shadow": A classical Vietnamese idiom describing information or correspondence that is extremely rare, faint, or elusive, like the fleeting glimpse of a fish's fin above water or a bird's shadow. It implies news or letters that are infrequent and hard to come by.
Usage Examples
- Idiom:
- Chiến tranh, liên lạc khó khăn, tin tức chỉ là tăm cá bóng chim. (During the war, communication was difficult; news was as rare as a fish's fin or a bird's shadow.)
- Anh ấy đi xa, thư từ gửi về nhà thưa thớt như tăm cá bóng chim. (He went far away; letters sent home were as scarce as a fish's fin or a bird's shadow.)
Advanced Usage
- This idiom is primarily used in literary or formal contexts to poetically express the scarcity and preciousness of news or contact, often due to great distance or difficult circumstances.
Variants and Related Words
- Bặt vô âm tín (idiom): to be completely without news or trace.
- Tin tức thưa thớt (phrase): sparse, infrequent news.
Synonyms
- Scant news: very little information.
- Rare correspondence: letters that arrive infrequently.
- Elusive tidings: news that is hard to obtain.
Related Idioms
- Cá kể đầu, chim kể cánh: Literally "fish count by heads, birds count by wings"; meaning each item is precious and should be counted carefully. It shares the thematic use of fish and birds and a connotation of valuing scarce things.
- Bóng chim tăm cá: A reversed variant with the same meaning.