chán như con gián
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Bored out of your mind — the rhyme (chán/gián) does the comedy.
Literally: Bored like a cockroach.
How to use it
✓ Use it when
Any dull afternoon; the nonsense rhyme is the point.
Register: informalConnotation: humorousEra: Long-established playful rhyme
Where it’s used:
Used
Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora
Origin
Mạng xã hội · Vietnamese internet culture
Examples
Cúp điện cả ngày, ở nhà chán như con gián.Power out all day — stuck home, bored as a cockroach.
Editorial example (illustrative, not a corpus attestation)
Sources & notes
Curated editorially (owner-requested humorous-slang research, July 2026). One of a family of nonsense-rhyme similes (see also “chuyện nhỏ như con thỏ”, “buồn như con chuồn chuồn”). Era: Long-established playful rhyme.
Common questions
What does “chán như con gián” mean?
Bored out of your mind — the rhyme (chán/gián) does the comedy. Literally: Bored like a cockroach.
Is “chán như con gián” formal or informal?
chán như con gián is generally informal; connotation: humorous.