xói lở
Definition
Noun:
- Erosion: The process by which soil, rock, or the banks of a river or coastline are gradually worn away and removed by the action of water, wind, or other natural agents.
- Landslide / Collapse: The event or result of such erosion, where a mass of earth or rock gives way and slides down a slope, often causing damage.
Verb:
- To erode: To gradually wear away or wash away soil, land, or a bank.
- To collapse / to be undermined: To fall down or give way because the base has been eroded.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- Xói lở bờ biển là một vấn đề nghiêm trọng. (Coastal erosion is a serious problem.)
- Một vụ xói lở đất đã chặn đường vào làng. (A landslide blocked the road to the village.)
Verb:
- Nước lũ xói lở chân cầu. (The floodwaters eroded the base of the bridge.)
- Bờ sông đang bị xói lở từng ngày. (The riverbank is being eroded day by day.)
Advanced Usage
- "xói lở niềm tin": erosion of trust (figurative use).
- Những vụ bê bối gây xói lở niềm tin của công chúng. (The scandals caused an erosion of public trust.)
Variants and Related Words
Sạt lở (n/v): Often used interchangeably with "xói lở," but can specifically emphasize a sudden, sliding collapse, especially of slopes or cliffs.
- Sạt lở núi (mountain landslide).
Xói mòn (n/v): Erosion. This term is often used in more technical or scientific contexts (e.g., soil erosion) and focuses more on the wearing-away process.
- Xói mòn đất (soil erosion).
Synonyms
- Erosion: The process of being eroded.
- Landslide: The sliding down of a mass of earth or rock from a mountain or cliff.
- Washaway: The act or result of being washed away by water.
Related Idioms
- While "xói lở" itself is not commonly used in idioms, its figurative meaning relates to concepts of gradual decay or weakening, as in "xói lở niềm tin" (erosion of trust) or "xói lở quyền lực" (erosion of power).