xoay trần
Definition
- Adjective (used as an adverbial phrase):
- Bare-chested, stripped to the waist: Describes the state of having the upper body uncovered, typically to perform strenuous physical labor without hindrance or due to intense heat.
- With utmost effort, straining every nerve: Figuratively describes exerting maximum physical or mental effort, often to the point of sweating and exhaustion, to complete a demanding task.
Usage Examples
Literal (Physical):
- Anh công nhân xoay trần làm việc dưới nắng nóng. (The worker worked bare-chested under the hot sun.)
- Họ xoay trần đẩy chiếc xe bị lầy. (They pushed the stuck car, stripped to the waist.)
Figurative (Intense Effort):
- Nhóm nghiên cứu xoay trần viết báo cáo cho kịp hạn chót. (The research team strained every nerve to write the report to meet the deadline.)
- Anh ấy xoay trần code cả đêm để sửa lỗi phần mềm. (He coded with utmost effort all night to fix the software bug.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often implies a sense of urgency, difficulty, and total dedication to a task, conjuring an image of someone working so hard they are sweating profusely, as if they had removed their shirt to cool down.
- It can be used humorously or hyperbolically for mental tasks (like writing or studying) that require intense concentration and effort, not just physical labor.
Variants and Related Words
- Cởi trần (v/phr): To take off one's shirt, to be bare-chested. This is the literal action, while "xoay trần" describes the state or manner of doing something.
- Trời nóng quá, anh ấy cởi trần. (It was too hot, so he took off his shirt.)
Synonyms
- Bare-chested: Having the chest uncovered.
- With all one's might: Using all one's strength and power.
- To sweat blood: To work extremely hard (idiomatic, similar figurative sense).
Related Idioms
Đổ mồ hôi sôi nước mắt: To shed sweat and tears; to work extremely hard.
- Họ đổ mồ hôi sôi nước mắt để xây dựng cơ nghiệp. (They shed sweat and tears to build their career.)
Lăn lộn: To struggle, to grapple with difficulties (often in work or life).
- Anh ấy lăn lộn nhiều năm trong ngành xây dựng. (He struggled for many years in the construction industry.)