xếp xó
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To shelve / to put away in a corner: The literal meaning refers to placing an object in a corner or out-of-the-way storage, often implying it is no longer in use.
- To pigeonhole / to set aside (figurative): The primary figurative meaning is to dismiss, abandon, or indefinitely postpone a matter, idea, or project, effectively consigning it to oblivion.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Chiếc máy cũ đó đã bị xếp xó trong kho. (That old machine has been shelved in the warehouse.)
- Đề án cải cách cứ bị xếp xó mãi. (The reform project keeps getting shelved.)
- Việc ấy đã bị xếp xó rồi. (That matter has been set aside.)
Advanced Usage
- Used to describe the fate of plans, proposals, or even people when they are ignored or rendered inactive.
- Những ý kiến của anh ta luôn bị xếp xó. (His opinions are always pigeonholed.)
Variants and Related Words
- Xếp lại (v): to put away, to fold and store. Less strong connotation of abandonment.
- Bỏ xó (v): to throw in a corner; very similar in meaning to "xếp xó," often with a slightly more dismissive tone.
Synonyms
- Shelve: to decide not to proceed with a plan or idea.
- Pigeonhole: to assign to a category, often dismissively, and ignore.
- Set aside: to decide not to deal with something.
- Abandon: to cease to support or look after.
Related Idioms
- Xếp vào ngăn kéo: literally "to put in a drawer"; a near-identical idiom meaning to shelve or postpone something indefinitely.