English
1. Down in the dumps: depressed, sad. (Buồn, chán nản)
Example: She was down in the dumps. Her only child has already passed away.
2. On your high horse: superior or arrogant position. (Ở vị trí cao hơn người, cao ngạo)
Example: He doesn’t have any close friends. He is always riding a high horse.
3. Crocodile tears: Fake tears or false sadness. (Nước mắt cá sấu)
Example: Oh, don’t get moved by her. She will give you only crocodile tears.
4. Smart cookie: A person who is very intelligent. (Người thông minh)
Example. I like to talk with him as he is a smart cookie. He can understand quickly and properly.
5. On cloud nine: Blissfully happy. (Rất hạnh phúc)
He has just got married to the lady he loves passionately. He is always on cloud nine.
6. Goody two shoes: Someone who tries to be perfect. (Cầu toàn. Cố gắng để trở nên hoàn hảo)
Example: Relax and enjoy your life. Everybody can make mistakes. You don’t need to be a goody two shoes.
7. Dog days of summer: the hottest humid days of summer. (Trời rất nóng, nóng đổ mồ hôi)
Example: Such dog days of summer! I am always annoyed by this weather. Just want to be inside with air conditioning all the time.
8. Dressed to the nines: dressed fashionably. (Ăn mặc hợp thời trang)
Example: I am not trendy but I like getting dressed to the nines.
9. Top banana: A boss. (Ông chủ)
Example: Hey! Stop chatting and playing around. The top banana is coming.
10. Barrel of laughs: someone who is very funny. (Người rất hài hước, hóm hỉnh)
Example: All of us like to have him on our trip because we always have so much fun traveling with him. He is a true barrel of laughs.
11. Oddball: a weirdo or a strange person. (Người lạ lùng, dị thường)
Example: He is an oddball. We are not familiar with him although we have been studying with him in the same class for 2 years.
12. Over the hill/ old as the hills: someone who is very old. (Rất lớn tuổi, già cả)
Example: My neighbor ia always locking himself out. His mind is slipping, he’s old as the hills.
13. Nutty as a fruit cake: Someone who is a bit crazy. (Người hơi khùng, người có hành động ngớ ngẩn)
Example: My two year old niece acts silly sometimes. She is nutty as a fruit cake.
14. Like a dog with two tails: extremely happy. (Vui tột đỉnh)
Example: he passed the exam with the top score and got the 100% scholarship. He is like a dog with two tails.
15. Cry one’s eyes out: Cry a lot for a long time. (Khóc rất nhiều)
Example: I felt sorry for her when I saw her face at work this morning. She must have cried her eyes out last night.
16. Face like a wet weekend: Look sad and miserable. (Trông rất buồn khổ)
Example: You have a face like a wet weekend. What happened to you?
17. Your heart sinks: Feel very unhappy and despondent. (Cảm thấy rất đau khổ)
Example: I know your heart sinks. Leave your past alone and enjoy your present. Do you want a beach holiday?
18. As fit as a fiddle: To be healthy and physically fit. (Khoẻ khoắn và cân đối)
Example: His healthy diet and regular work-outs help keep him as fit as a fiddle.
19. Green thumb: Grow lush without trying. [Mát tay (trồng cây)]
Example: My first child has a green thumb. He can cultivate flowers so easily.
20. In the same boat: same unpleasant or difficult situation. (Cùng hội cùng thuyền)
Example: Let’s support each other. We are in the same boat.
21. Paddle one’s own canoe: To be able to act independently. (Có khả năng hành động độc lập)
Example: Be mature and paddle your own canoe!
22. Hit the road: To leave. (Rời khỏi)
Example: I have another meeting at 10:00 but our discussion hasn’t come to an end. You guys can go on without me and inform me the outcome later. I need to hit the road now.
23. Fat cat: A negative description of a rich and powerful person. (Nhân vật giàu có và quyền lực)
Example: Nobody likes his arrogance. He is just a fat cat.
24. No room to swing a cat: Very small, not big enough. (Rất nhỏ, không đủ chỗ)
Example: We should find another place for the meeting. This has no room to swing a cat!
25. A cat nap: A short sleep during a day. (Ngủ trưa, giấc ngủ ngắn ban ngày)
Example: I did not sleep well last night. Hope I can take a cat nap this afternoon.
26. Cat on a hot tin roof: be extremely nervous. (Rất lo lắng)
Example: She will take the final exam tomorrow but she did not have enough time to prepare for that. She is like a cat on a hot tin roof.
27. Out of sorts: slightly ill, not feeling well. (Hơi mệt, không khoẻ)
Example: Sorry, I need to go home. I am out of sorts
28. Off one’s rocker: Crazy, nuts, insane. (Điên khùng)
Example: Hearing my father’s complaining all day makes me off my rocker
29. Take it easy: Don’t hurry, relax, don’t get angry. (Cứ từ từ. Cứ bình tĩnh. Cứ đơn giản thôi.)
Example: Take it easy. We still have time to fix our problem. The next competition doesn’t take place until February.
30. A closed book: To be difficult to know or understand. (Khó hiểu)
Example: She is a closed book. It takes a very long time to understand her I guess.