xì hơi

Bánh xe ô tô bị xì hơi trên đường.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To deflate / To go flat: Refers to the loss of air pressure from a pneumatic object, such as a tire or balloon, causing it to become soft or flat.
   • (Figurative) To lose steam / To falter: Used colloquially to describe a person, plan, or effort losing momentum, energy, or enthusiasm.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Bánh xe ô tô bị xì hơi. (The car tire is flat/deflated.)
  • Quả bóng bay đã xì hơi. (The balloon has deflated.)
  • Sau tuần đầu, dự án bắt đầu xì hơi. (After the first week, the project began to lose steam.)

Advanced Usage

• "làm xì hơi": to deflate (something), to puncture.
  • Đứa trẻ cố tình làm xì hơi quả bóng. (The child intentionally deflated the ball.)

Variants and Related Words

• Xì (v): to leak, to hiss (often for gas or air under pressure).

  • Đường ống bị xì. (The pipe is leaking.)

• Nổ (v): to explode, to blow out (contrasting with a slow xì hơi).

  • Lốp xe nổ trên đường. (The tire blew out on the road.)

Synonyms

• Deflate: to release air or gas from.
• Go flat: to lose air pressure (for tires).
• Fizzle out: to fail or end weakly (figurative).

Related Idioms

• Xì hơi như bánh xe thủng: to be completely deflated or demoralized.
  • Sau thất bại, tinh thần đội bóng xì hơi như bánh xe thủng. (After the defeat, the team's morale was completely deflated.)