ngã ngựa

See also: ngã ngửa

Vietnamese

Etymology

ngã (“to fall”) +‎ ngựa (“horse”); compare Chinese 落馬／落马 (luòmǎ).

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [ŋaː˦ˀ˥ ŋɨə˧˨ʔ]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ŋaː˧˨ ŋɨə˨˩ʔ]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [ŋaː˨˩˦ ŋɨə˨˩˨]

Verb

ngã ngựa

1. (literally) to fall from a horse
2. (figurative) to lose one's power, position, success, fame, wealth, etc.; to be caught, arrested, demoted or ousted; to suffer a defeat or failure
   • 2012, “Đến lượt đồng minh Bạc Hi Lai ngã ngựa?”, in Tuổi Trẻ Online‎^[1]:

     Trên thực tế, sau khi ông Bạc Hi Lai “ngã ngựa”, báo chí phương Tây và Hong Kong đưa tin ông Chu Vĩnh Khang đã rơi vào thế khó.

     In fact, after Bo Xilai was ousted, Western and Hong Kong media also reported that Zhou Yongkang was similarly in trouble.