dây dùi khó dứt
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
A cord stretched taut is soonest snapped — gentleness lasts; rigidity breaks.
Literally: the tight-drawn cord parts hard
Sources & notes
Discovered via Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.
Common questions
What does “dây dùi khó dứt” mean?
A cord stretched taut is soonest snapped — gentleness lasts; rigidity breaks. Literally: the tight-drawn cord parts hard
Is “dây dùi khó dứt” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.