Definition

1. Adjective/Verb phrase:
   • To be naked from the waist down; to have no trousers/pants on: Describes the state of a person not wearing any lower garment (trousers, pants, skirt, etc.), typically exposing the lower body. It often implies a state of undress that is considered improper, careless, or primitive.
   • To be in a state of partial nudity: Specifically refers to the lack of clothing covering the lower half of the body.

Usage Examples

• Adjective/Verb phrase:
  • Đứa bé chạy ở truồng ra sân. (The child ran into the yard with no pants on.)
  • Ngủ mà ở truồng thế này dễ bị cảm lắm. (Sleeping half-naked like this makes you very susceptible to catching a cold.)
  • Hắn cứ ở truồng quanh nhà, chẳng chịu mặc quần vào. (He just stays half-naked around the house, refusing to put his pants on.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase carries a strong connotation of being unkempt, undisciplined, or lacking in basic decorum. It is rarely used in a neutral or positive context.
• It can be used figuratively to criticize something as being crude, bare, or lacking necessary refinement.
  • Bài văn viết ở truồng, chẳng có cấu trúc gì cả. (The essay is written in a crude, unstructured way.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cởi truồng (verb phrase): To strip naked, to take off all one's clothes. This emphasizes the action of undressing completely.
• Trần truồng (adjective): Completely naked, nude. This refers to a state of total nudity, not just from the waist down.
• Ở trần (adjective/verb phrase): To be bare-chested, to have no shirt on. This refers to nudity from the waist up.

Synonyms

• Không mặc quần: (Literal) Not wearing trousers/pants. A more neutral, descriptive phrase.
• Hở hang: To be revealing, to show a lot of skin. This is broader and can refer to any revealing clothing, not just the absence of it.

Related Idioms/Phrases

• Ở truồng đuổi nhau: (Literal: To chase each other half-naked). Used to describe a state of complete chaos, panic, or disarray where people act without any sense of propriety or order.
  • Nghe tin hỏa hoạn, mọi người hoảng loạn, ở truồng đuổi nhau ra khỏi nhà. (Upon hearing the news of the fire, people panicked and fled in complete disarray.)

1. Have one's trousers off, have no trousers on