đường chim
Definition
- Noun:
- A perilously high and narrow mountain path: A dangerous trail, often along a cliff or mountain ridge, so steep and inaccessible that it is figuratively said only birds can traverse it.
- A figurative term for an extremely difficult or dangerous route: Used to describe any path, journey, or endeavor that is fraught with extreme difficulty and risk.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Đoàn leo núi phải vượt qua một con đường chim để đến được đỉnh. (The climbing expedition had to cross a perilous bird's path to reach the summit.)
- Tránh con đường chim đó đi, nó quá nguy hiểm cho xe cộ. (Avoid that treacherous road; it's too dangerous for vehicles.)
- Sự nghiệp của anh ấy là một con đường chim đầy chông gai. (His career has been a perilously difficult path full of obstacles.)
Advanced Usage
- This term is often used in travelogues, literature, or storytelling to emphasize the extreme danger and isolation of a route. It evokes a vivid image of a path clinging to the side of a mountain.
Variants and Related Words
- Đường mòn (n): trail, path. A more general term for a narrow path.
- Đường hiểm trở (n): dangerous and difficult road. A direct synonym describing a treacherous route.
Synonyms
- Perilous path: A route involving serious and immediate danger.
- Precipitous trail: A very steep path.
- Treacherous route: A path that is dangerously unstable or unreliable.
Related Idioms
- Chỉ có chim bay qua: (Only birds can fly over it). This is the core idea behind "đường chim" and is used to describe a place or route of extreme inaccessibility.
- Ngọn núi phía trước dốc đứng, chỉ có chim bay qua được. (The mountain ahead is sheer; only birds can get over it.)