đổ thùng
Definition
Verb:
- To empty a barrel/tank: The literal meaning refers to the act of emptying the contents of a barrel, vat, or tank.
- To pump out / to drain: Specifically used for draining waste or liquid from a septic tank, waste barrel, or similar container.
Verb (colloquial):
- To dump / to spill the beans: A figurative and common slang meaning, referring to the act of confessing, revealing a secret, or divulging private information, often all at once.
Usage Examples
Verb (literal):
- Họ phải đổ thùng nước thải mỗi tháng. (They have to pump out the waste tank every month.)
- Xe chuyên dụng dùng để đổ thùng. (A specialized vehicle is used to empty the tanks.)
Verb (figurative, slang):
- Anh ta đã đổ thùng mọi bí mật với cảnh sát. (He spilled all the secrets to the police.)
- Đừng tin cô ấy, cô ấy sẽ đổ thùng hết chuyện của bạn. (Don't trust her; she'll spill all your business.)
Advanced Usage
- The figurative use is dominant in everyday conversation. It implies a sudden, complete, and often indiscreet revelation of information that was meant to be hidden.
Variants and Related Words
- Đổ bể (v): A similar slang term meaning to have a secret exposed or a plan fail due to disclosure.
- Kế hoạch đã đổ bể vì ai đó đổ thùng. (The plan failed because someone spilled the beans.)
Synonyms
- To confess: To admit to something.
- To reveal: To make previously unknown information known.
- To blab: To reveal secrets carelessly or thoughtlessly.
- To drain: To remove liquid (for the literal sense).
Related Idioms
- Đổ thùng đổ bể: An intensified phrase emphasizing a major confession or leak of multiple secrets.
- Sau khi bị bắt, tên tội phạm đổ thùng đổ bể. (After being caught, the criminal confessed to everything.)