vỉ đại bất trạo
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
A tail too big to wag — the branches outgrowing the trunk; subordinates too strong to steer.
Literally: great tail doesn't swing
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 “vỉ đại bất trạo” mean?
A tail too big to wag — the branches outgrowing the trunk; subordinates too strong to steer. Literally: great tail doesn't swing
Is “vỉ đại bất trạo” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.