The Vietnamese word "đá ngầm" literally translates to "underwater rocks" or "submerged rocks" in English. However, in a figurative sense, it can also refer to hidden dangers or obstacles that are not immediately visible but can cause problems, similar to how hidden rocks can damage a ship.
Basic Meaning: "Đá ngầm" represents something that is beneath the surface, which could be a physical object like rocks under water or metaphorically, challenges that are not obvious at first glance.
Usage Instructions: You can use "đá ngầm" when talking about situations where there are hidden risks or challenges. It can be used in both everyday conversation and more formal contexts.
Basic Example: "Khi đi thuyền, bạn phải cẩn thận với đá ngầm." (When sailing, you have to be careful of submerged rocks.)
Figurative Example: "Khi làm việc nhóm, luôn có những đá ngầm mà bạn không thấy ngay lập tức." (When working in a team, there are always hidden challenges that you may not see right away.)
In more advanced discussions, "đá ngầm" can be used in contexts such as business, politics, or personal relationships to indicate underlying issues or conflicts that may not be immediately obvious.
Đá nổi: This means "visible rocks" or "rocks above water," which contrasts with "đá ngầm." It can be used to describe obvious problems or challenges.
Ngầm: This part of the word means "hidden" or "submerged," and can be used in other contexts, like "ngầm lén" (secretly).
While "đá ngầm" primarily refers to hidden dangers, it may also be used metaphorically to describe situations where someone's position is being undermined or supplanted by others, akin to the phrase "to oust by underhand tricks."