võng lưng
Definition
- Adjective:
- Swaybacked: Describes an animal, especially a horse, that has an abnormally sunken or hollowed back, with a downward-dipping spine and a protruding abdomen. This is often a conformational flaw or a sign of certain health conditions.
- With a sunken back: More generally, it can describe any creature or object that has a deeply curved, concave back.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Con ngựa võng lưng không thể chở nặng. (The swaybacked horse cannot carry heavy loads.)
- Chiếc ghế cũ đã bị võng lưng. (The old chair has a sunken back.)
- Ông cụ đi đứng với tấm lưng võng. (The old man walks with a sunken back.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is primarily used in veterinary and animal husbandry contexts but can be applied metaphorically to describe the shape of inanimate objects like old furniture or structures.
Variants and Related Words
- Võng (adj/verb): can mean sagging, hammock, or to swing. "Võng lưng" is a compound where "võng" describes the sagging shape of the back ("lưng").
Synonyms
- Swaybacked: The direct and most accurate translation.
- Lordotic: A technical medical term for an excessive inward curve of the spine.
- Hollow-backed: A descriptive synonym.
Related Idioms
- While not a common idiom itself, the state of being "võng lưng" is sometimes referenced in descriptive phrases about old age or poor condition, e.g., (back sunken with age).