vẹo cổ
Definition
Noun:
- A stiff neck / wry neck: A condition where the neck muscles contract involuntarily, causing the head to twist to one side and making movement painful or difficult. This is the common, non-medical term for torticollis.
- A bird (Roller): In zoology, "vẹo cổ" refers to a type of bird, specifically the European roller (Coracias garrulus) or similar species, known for its ability to twist its neck.
Adjective Phrase:
- Having a wry neck / with a twisted neck: Used to describe a person or animal whose neck is twisted or tilted to one side.
Usage Examples
Noun (Medical Condition):
- Sáng ngủ dậy, tôi bị vẹo cổ. (I woke up with a stiff neck.)
- Cháu bé bị tật vẹo cổ bẩm sinh. (The child has congenital torticollis.)
Noun (Bird):
- Trong vườn có một con vẹo cổ đang đậu trên cành. (In the garden, a roller bird is perched on a branch.)
Adjective Phrase:
- Con mèo vẹo cổ trông thật tội nghiệp. (The cat with a twisted neck looks so pitiful.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is primarily used in everyday speech for the medical condition. In formal or medical contexts, "chứng vẹo cổ" or the technical term "torticollis" is preferred.
- When referring to the bird, it is a specific zoological name and is less common in general conversation.
Variants and Related Words
Chứng vẹo cổ (n): The condition of torticollis.
- Bác sĩ chẩn đoán anh ấy mắc chứng vẹo cổ. (The doctor diagnosed him with torticollis.)
Cổ vẹo (adj phrase): An alternative, less common phrasing meaning "having a crooked neck."
- Cái tư thế ngủ đó khiến cổ cô ấy bị cổ vẹo. (That sleeping position made her neck crooked.)
Synonyms
- Torticollis: The formal medical term for a stiff or twisted neck.
- Wry neck: A common English synonym for the condition.
- European roller: The common name for the bird.
Related Idioms
- Vẹo cổ vẹo vai: Describes a twisted, uncomfortable, or contorted posture of the neck and shoulders.
- Ngồi máy tính cả ngày khiến tôi vẹo cổ vẹo vai. (Sitting at the computer all day gives me a crick in my neck and hunched shoulders.)