tứ tán
Definition
- Verb (archaic):
- To scatter in all directions / to disperse: The primary meaning of "tứ tán" describes a group of people or things breaking apart and fleeing or spreading out to various, often random, directions. It conveys a sense of sudden, chaotic dispersal.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Nghe tiếng súng, đám đông tứ tán ngay lập tức. (Hearing the gunshot, the crowd scattered in all directions immediately.)
- Bọn trẻ tứ tán khi giáo viên xuất hiện. (The children scattered when the teacher appeared.)
Advanced Usage
- While "tứ tán" is an archaic term, it is still understood and used in literary, historical, or formal contexts to evoke a classical tone. In modern everyday speech, words like "chạy tán loạn" or "tan tác" are more common.
Variants and Related Words
Tan tác (v): to be scattered, to be dispersed (often due to a defeat or disaster). This is a more modern and commonly used synonym.
- Đội quân thua trận tan tác. (The defeated army was scattered.)
Chạy tán loạn (v): to flee in panic, to scatter in disorder.
- Mọi người chạy tán loạn tìm chỗ trú ẩn. (People fled in panic looking for shelter.)
Synonyms
- To scatter: to separate and go in different directions.
- To disperse: to break up and spread over a wide area.
- To flee in all directions: to run away chaotically to various places.
Related Idioms
- Tứ tán ngũ hành: This is a rare, classical idiom that can imply things or people being scattered and disorganized, akin to the chaotic state of the "five elements" (ngũ hành). It emphasizes extreme disorder and lack of cohesion.
- Công ty sau khủng hoảng như tứ tán ngũ hành. (The company after the crisis was in complete disarray.)