xoáy trôn ốc
Definition
Adjective:
- Spiral; helical; in the shape of a corkscrew or coil: Describes something that has a continuous, curved, and gradually widening or tightening circular form around a central point, resembling the shape of a snail shell or a screw thread.
- Following a spiral course or pattern: Describes movement, development, or arrangement that follows a winding, circular path.
Adverb:
- In a spiral; spirally: Describes an action performed in a winding, circular manner.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Cầu thang xoáy trôn ốc rất đẹp. (The spiral staircase is very beautiful.)
- Họ quan sát một cơn bão có hình xoáy trôn ốc. (They observed a storm with a spiral shape.)
- Adverb:
- Khói bay lên xoáy trôn ốc. (The smoke rose in a spiral.)
Advanced Usage
- Used to describe abstract concepts that intensify or worsen in a cyclical, self-reinforcing manner.
- Nợ nần của họ ngày càng tăng theo kiểu xoáy trôn ốc. (Their debt kept increasing in a spiral.)
Variants and Related Words
- Xoáy (v/n): to swirl; a whirlpool, vortex. Often the root concept for circular motion.
- Trôn ốc (n): literally "screw's butt/end," referring to the pointed, helical end of a screw. The compound specifies the precise helical shape.
Synonyms
- Spiral
- Helical
- Corkscrew
- Coiled
Related Idioms
- Xoáy trôn ốc suy nghĩ: a spiral of thoughts (overthinking).
- Cô ấy rơi vào một vòng xoáy trôn ốc suy nghĩ tiêu cực. (She fell into a negative spiral of thoughts.)
- Vòng xoáy trôn ốc: a spiral cycle/vortex, often used for negative, inescapable situations.
- Bạo lực tạo ra một vòng xoáy trôn ốc của sự trả thù. (Violence creates a spiral of revenge.)