hãm
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb:
- To stop; to brake; to slow down: To cause a vehicle, machine, or process to reduce speed or cease movement.
- To steep; to infuse: To pour hot water over tea, herbs, or medicine and let it sit to extract flavor or active compounds.
- To besiege; to encircle; to trap: To corner an opponent, restricting their freedom of movement or action.
- (Obsolete/Contextual) To invite to drink; to offer a toast: In traditional "ả đào" singing, to sing a verse urging a guest to drink.
Adjective (Colloquial):
- Unlucky; jinxed: Having a quality believed to bring bad luck or misfortune.
Usage Examples
- Verb (to stop/brake):
- Lái xe phải hãm phanh khi thấy đèn đỏ. (The driver had to brake when he saw the red light.)
- Verb (to steep/infuse):
- Bà tôi thường hãm trà gừng để uống cho ấm bụng. (My grandmother often steeps ginger tea to warm her stomach.)
- Verb (to besiege/trap):
- Quân ta đã hãm địch trong thành. (Our troops besieged the enemy in the citadel.)
- Adjective (unlucky):
- Anh ta trông có vẻ hãm lắm, đi đâu cũng gặp xui. (He seems very unlucky; wherever he goes, he encounters bad luck.)
Advanced Usage
- "hãm hại": to harm, to sabotage. This is a compound verb where "hãm" contributes a sense of causing detriment or holding back.
- Hắn tìm cách hãm hại đối thủ của mình. (He sought ways to harm his rival.)
- "hãm lại": to hold back, to restrain. A phrasal verb emphasizing the action of stopping or slowing.
- Cô ấy cố hãm lại nước mắt. (She tried to hold back her tears.)
Variants and Related Words
- Hãm phanh (v): to brake (a vehicle).
- Hãm phanh gấp rất nguy hiểm. (Braking suddenly is very dangerous.)
- Hãm trà (v): to brew tea by steeping.
- Hãm trà đúng cách sẽ cho nước trà thơm ngon. (Brewing tea correctly yields a delicious cup.)
- Hãm thành (v): to lay siege to a citadel.
- Lịch sử ghi lại nhiều trận hãm thành nổi tiếng. (History records many famous citadel sieges.)
Synonyms
- To brake: to decelerate, to halt.
- To steep: to brew, to infuse.
- To besiege: to surround, to blockade.
- Unlucky: jinxed, ill-fated.
Related Idioms
- Hãm tài hãm lộc: to hinder one's wealth and fortune; to bring bad financial luck.
- Người ta nói việc đó sẽ hãm tài hãm lộc của anh. (People say that will hinder your wealth and fortune.)
- (Conceptual) Gặp hãm: to encounter a streak of bad luck.
- Dạo này tôi gặp hãm quá, làm gì cũng không thành. (I've been so unlucky lately; nothing I do succeeds.)
verb
- to rape; to violate; to ravish to harass to stop; to brake