Definition

1. Verb:
   • To embrace, to cuddle: To hold someone or something closely and lovingly in one's arms, often to show affection, comfort, or protection.
   • To nurse, to nurture, to cherish: To hold a thought, feeling, dream, or hope deeply and fondly within one's mind or heart over time.

Usage Examples

• Literal meaning (to embrace):
  • Người mẹ ôm ấp đứa con nhỏ. (The mother cuddled her small child.)
• Figurative meaning (to cherish a thought/feeling):
  • Anh ấy ôm ấp hy vọng trở thành bác sĩ. (He cherished the hope of becoming a doctor.)
  • Cô ấy ôm ấp một tình yêu thầm kín. (She nurtured a secret love.)

Advanced Usage

• The figurative use is very common and often involves abstract concepts like ambitions, dreams, memories, or secrets.
  • Ôm ấp hoài bão. (To nurse a great ambition.)
  • Ôm ấp mối hận trong lòng. (To harbor a grudge in one's heart.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ôm (v): to hug, to hold. This is the root verb and is more general, often lacking the prolonged, tender nuance of "ôm ấp."
  • Ôm bạn. (To hug a friend.)
• Ấp ủ (v): to incubate, to nurture (an idea, plan). This is very close in figurative meaning to "ôm ấp" but can imply a longer, more patient development phase.

Synonyms

• To cuddle / To embrace: For the physical act.
• To cherish / To harbor / To nurse: For the mental or emotional act of holding onto something.

Related Idioms

• Ôm ấp mộng tưởng: To cherish illusions or pipe dreams.
  • Đừng ôm ấp mộng tưởng hão huyền. (Don't cherish vain illusions.)

verb

1. to embrace, to cuddle ; to nurse, to nurture