vạy

Đường làng uốn lượn theo một con vạy quanh đồi.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Crooked; bent; not straight: Describes something that has a curved, twisted, or winding shape, deviating from a straight line.
   • Devious; deceitful (archaic/figurative): Describes a person's character or intentions as dishonest, untrustworthy, or morally twisted. This usage is now rare and literary.

Usage Examples

• Adjective (Physical):

  • Con đường này rất vạy. (This road is very crooked.)
  • Cái cây mọc vạy vì gió. (The tree grows bent because of the wind.)

• Adjective (Character - Archaic):

  • Kẻ có lòng vạy. (A person with a deceitful heart.)

Advanced Usage

• The word "vạy" is considered somewhat archaic, especially in its figurative sense. In modern Vietnamese, "cong" is more commonly used for physical crookedness, and "gian xảo" or "lươn lẹo" for deceitful character.

Variants and Related Words

• Vạy vò (adj): Twisted and bent; convoluted.

  • Sợi dây thép bị vạy vò. (The wire is twisted.)

• Ngoằn ngoèo (adj): Winding, serpentine (often for paths or lines). This is a more common modern synonym for the physical meaning.

  • Con đường mòn ngoằn ngoèo. (The trail is winding.)

Synonyms

• Crooked / Bent: For physical shape.
• Winding / Twisted: For a non-straight path or object.
• Devious / Deceitful: For character (archaic).

Related Idioms

• Vạy như lươn: As slippery/wriggly as an eel; describing someone who is evasive or deceitful.
  • Hắn ta khôn và vạy như lươn. (He is cunning and slippery as an eel.)