Definition

1. Noun:

   • Yoke: A wooden frame traditionally placed on the necks of animals like buffalo or oxen to harness them for pulling a plow or cart. Figuratively, it represents any oppressive burden or controlling force.
   • Stoppage, Snag: An unexpected obstacle, hindrance, or interruption that causes a delay.

2. Verb:

   • To stop, to halt, to obstruct: To bring something to a standstill, to block progress, or to detain someone.
   • To feel bloated: To have an uncomfortably full, swollen, or heavy feeling in the stomach, typically from overeating or drinking.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Yoke):
  • Người nông dân đặt ách lên cổ con trâu. (The farmer placed the yoke on the buffalo's neck.)
  • Nhân dân đã lật đổ ách thực dân. (The people overthrew the colonialist yoke.)
• Noun (Stoppage):
  • Công việc bị ách lại vì thiếu nguyên liệu. (The work came to a standstill due to a lack of materials.)
• Verb (To stop):
  • Cảnh sát ách xe anh ấy lại để kiểm tra. (The police stopped his car to check it.)
• Verb (To feel bloated):
  • Tôi ăn nhiều quá, thấy ách bụng. (I ate too much and feel bloated.)

Advanced Usage

• "ách giữa đàng": An unexpected hitch or snag; a problem that arises suddenly and obstructs progress.
  • Kế hoạch gặp ách giữa đàng. (The plan hit an unexpected snag.)

Variants and Related Words

• Anh ách (adj): Reduplicated form for emphasis, meaning very bloated or very stuck/obstructed.
  • Bụng tôi no anh ách. (My stomach is extremely bloated.)
  • Giao thông tắc anh ách. (The traffic is completely gridlocked.)

Synonyms

• Yoke: harness, oppression, bondage.
• Stoppage: obstacle, hindrance, impediment, snag.
• To stop: to halt, to obstruct, to detain, to block.
• Bloated: full, stuffed, swollen, distended.

Related Idioms

• Ách giữa đàng quàng vào cổ: Literally "a yoke in the middle of the road is slung around one's neck." This idiom means to have an unexpected trouble or burden forced upon you without warning.

noun

1. Yoke
   • đặt ách lên con trâu, lồng con trâu vào ách
     to put a yoke on a buffalo
   • ách thực dân
     the colonialist yoke

verb

1. To come to a standstill, to be at a standstill
   • công việc ách lại
     business is at a standstill
2. To stop
   • ách ai lại hỏi giấy tờ
     to stop somebody and check his papers

adj

1. Having a bloated (blown up) stomach, feeling bloated (blown up)
   • uống bia ách cả bụng
     to feel bloated because of drinking too much beer