thọc gậy bánh xe

Vietnamese

Etymology

thọc (“to thrust”) +‎ gậy (“cane”) +‎ bánh xe (“wheel”).

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [tʰawk͡p̚˧˨ʔ ɣəj˧˨ʔ ʔɓajŋ̟˧˦ sɛ˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [tʰawk͡p̚˨˩ʔ ɣəj˨˩ʔ ʔɓɛɲ˦˧˥ sɛ˧˧]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [tʰawk͡p̚˨˩˨ ɣəj˨˩˨ ʔɓan˦˥ sɛ˧˧]

Verb

thọc gậy bánh xe

1. (intransitive, idiomatic) to put a spoke in someone's wheel; to throw a spanner in the works