Definition

1. Verb:
   • To turn over, to stir up (soil): The primary agricultural meaning refers to the action of digging, loosening, and turning over soil, typically between plants or before planting.
   • To stir up, to agitate (matters): An extended figurative meaning describes the act of disturbing, reopening, or causing unrest regarding settled issues, memories, or situations.

Usage Examples

• Verb (agricultural):
  • Người nông dân xáo xới đất trước khi gieo hạt. (The farmer turns over the soil before sowing seeds.)
• Verb (figurative):
  • Đừng xáo xới lại những chuyện đã qua. (Don't stir up old matters.)
  • Bài báo đó đã xáo xới dư luận. (That article agitated public opinion.)

Advanced Usage

• Used to imply a disruptive or probing action that brings hidden things to the surface, similar to tilling soil to expose what is underneath.

Variants and Related Words

• Xới (v): A more common synonym for the agricultural action of turning over soil.
  • Xới đất cho tơi. (Loosen the soil.)
• Đào xới (v): To dig up; often used figuratively to mean investigating or excavating (e.g., secrets, scandals).
  • Phóng viên đào xới thông tin. (The reporter dug up information.)

Synonyms

• To cultivate, to till: (for soil).
• To disturb, to agitate, to stir up: (for matters or feelings).

Related Idioms

• Xáo xới quá khứ: To dredge up the past.
  • Anh ấy không muốn ai xáo xới quá khứ của mình. (He doesn't want anyone dredging up his past.)