Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Favorable / Smooth-sailing: Describes a situation, journey, or process that proceeds easily and without obstacles, as if aided by a tailwind.
   • Downwind: Refers to moving in the same direction as the wind is blowing.

2. Adverb:

   • Smoothly / Favorably: Indicates that an action is carried out with ease and favorable conditions.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Công việc làm ăn của họ năm nay rất xuôi gió. (Their business this year has been very smooth-sailing.)
  • Con thuyền đi xuôi gió nên về bến rất nhanh. (The boat went downwind, so it returned to the harbor very quickly.)

• Adverb:

  • Mọi việc đang diễn ra xuôi gió như kế hoạch. (Everything is proceeding smoothly according to plan.)

Advanced Usage

• "thuận buồm xuôi gió": This is a common four-word idiom meaning "extremely smooth and favorable," often used for journeys or ventures.
  • Chúc bạn chuyến đi thuận buồm xuôi gió. (I wish you a journey with favorable winds and smooth seas.)

Variants and Related Words

• Xuôi chiều (adj/phr): Favorable, going with the flow (often of circumstances or trends).
• Xuôi dòng (v/phr): To go downstream; figuratively, to go along with the prevailing situation.

Synonyms

• Favorable: Advantageous, conducive to success.
• Smooth: Without problems or difficulties.
• Easy: Achieved without great effort.

Related Idioms

• Xuôi chèo mát mái: To go very smoothly and comfortably (like rowing easily on calm water).
  • Nhờ chuẩn bị kỹ, dự án diễn ra xuôi chèo mát mái. (Thanks to thorough preparation, the project went very smoothly.)