vò xé
Definition
- Verb:
- To tear apart; to rend: To pull or rip something into pieces with force, often causing visible damage.
- To torment; to gnaw at; to wring: To cause severe and persistent mental or emotional anguish, as if being physically torn internally.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Nỗi đau ấy vò xé trái tim cô. (That pain tormented her heart.)
- Con hổ vò xé con mồi. (The tiger tore apart its prey.)
- Cảm giác tội lỗi vò xé lương tâm anh ta. (The feeling of guilt gnawed at his conscience.)
Advanced Usage
- Used primarily in literary, poetic, or dramatic contexts to describe intense physical destruction or profound psychological suffering.
- Often describes abstract concepts (e.g., regret, sorrow, pain) acting upon a person's mind or heart.
Variants and Related Words
- Vò (v): to crumple, to crush with the hand.
- Cô ấy vò tờ giấy. (She crumpled the paper.)
- Xé (v): to tear, to rip.
- Đừng xé sách. (Don't tear the book.)
Synonyms
- To shred: To tear or cut into small pieces.
- To torment: To cause severe mental or physical suffering.
- To lacerate: To tear or deeply cut flesh, or to cause deep emotional distress.
Related Idioms
- Vò xé tâm can: An idiom meaning "to torment one's heart and liver" (i.e., to cause extreme inner turmoil).
- Tin đó vò xé tâm can người mẹ. (That news tormented the mother's heart.)