Definition

1. Adjective (Reduplicative Idiom):
   • Dangling precariously; swinging or hanging in an unstable, high, or insecure position: Describes an object or person suspended or perched in a way that seems unsafe, unsteady, or ready to fall, often at a height.
   • Extremely steep or sheer: Can describe a cliff, path, or slope that is almost vertical and difficult to traverse.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Cậu bé ngồi vắt va vắt vẻo trên cành cây cao. (The boy was sitting dangling precariously on the high tree branch.)
  • Con đường đèo vắt va vắt vẻo bên sườn núi. (The mountain pass winds, extremely steep on the mountainside.)
  • Chiếc tổ chim nằm vắt va vắt vẻo trên ngọn cây. (The bird's nest is perched precariously at the top of the tree.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is a reduplicative idiom, where "vắt vẻo" is the core word and "vắt va" is a rhyming, augmentative prefix. This structure intensifies the meaning, emphasizing a greater sense of instability, height, or risk than "vắt vẻo" alone.

Variants and Related Words

• Vắt vẻo (adj): Dangling; perched high and unsteadily. This is the root form.
  • Nó ngồi vắt vẻo trên tường. (He was sitting perched on the wall.)

Synonyms

• Precarious: Not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse.
• Perched: Situated in a high or precarious place.
• Dangling: Hanging or swinging loosely.

Related Idioms

• Cheo leo: Similar in meaning, describing a dangerously high or steep position.
  • Ngôi nhà nhỏ nằm cheo leo trên vách đá. (The small house is perched perilously on the cliff face.)