Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Bristling, standing on end: Describes hair, fur, or feathers that are standing up stiffly, often due to fear, anger, or cold.
   • Rough, coarse, shaggy: Describes a rough, uneven, or unkempt texture or appearance, like coarse fabric or messy hair.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Con mèo sợ hãi, lông xồn xồn lên. (The cat was scared, its fur bristling.)
  • Tấm vải này cảm giác xồn xồn. (This fabric feels rough/coarse.)
  • Tóc nó xồn xồn vừa ngủ dậy. (His/Her hair is all shaggy from just waking up.)

Advanced Usage

• The word is often used in its reduplicative form "xồn xồn" or "sồn sồn" to emphasize the state of being bristly or unkempt. It is primarily a descriptive adjective for visual or tactile texture.

Variants and Related Words

• Sồn sồn (adj): A common variant spelling and pronunciation with the same meaning: bristling, rough.
  • Lông chó sồn sồn khi nó gầm gừ. (The dog's fur was bristling when it growled.)

Synonyms

• Bristling: Having hair or fibers standing stiffly upright.
• Coarse: Rough or loose in texture.
• Shaggy: Long, thick, and untidy in appearance.

Related Idioms

• While "xồn xồn" itself is not typically the base of idioms, it describes a state often associated with idioms of fear or anger, such as "dựng tóc gáy" (to make one's hair stand on end).