Definition

1. Verb:

   • To swing gently; to sway rhythmically: The primary meaning describes a slow, pendulous, and often graceful back-and-forth or side-to-side motion, like that of a hammock, a branch, or a cradle.

2. Adjective (figurative):

   • Shifty; evasive; non-committal: Used to describe speech, behavior, or a person that is insincere, dishonest, or deliberately vague, avoiding a clear or direct stance. This meaning implies a lack of seriousness and stability in words or intentions, metaphorically extending from the physical swaying motion.

Usage Examples

• Verb (physical motion):

  • Chiếc võng đong đưa trong gió. (The hammock sways in the wind.)
  • Cành cây đong đưa. (The tree branch swings gently.)

• Adjective (figurative, describing speech/behavior):

  • Lời nói của anh ta rất đong đưa, không đáng tin. (His words are very shifty and untrustworthy.)
  • Ăn nói đong đưa. (To be shifty in one's speech.)

Advanced Usage

• The figurative use is common in critiques of political rhetoric, business negotiations, or personal promises where clarity and commitment are expected but avoided.

Variants and Related Words

• Đưa đẩy (v): to push and pull; often used figuratively for flirtatious banter or indirect, suggestive speech.
• Lấp lửng (adj): ambiguous, equivocal; similar to the figurative meaning of but often more focused on ambiguous wording rather than dishonest intent.

Synonyms

• Sway, swing, oscillate (for the physical motion).
• Evasive, equivocal, non-committal, deceitful (for the figurative meaning).

Related Idioms

• Đong đưa như cái bập bênh: To sway like a seesaw; emphasizes unsteadiness and lack of a fixed position.
• Nói đong đưa qua cửa sổ: To speak evasively (literally: to speak swayingly through the window); highlights indirect and insincere communication.

1. Shifty, dishonest
   • Ăn nói đong đưa
     Tobe shifty in one's words