Definition

1. Verb:

   • To embrace; to hug: To wrap one's arms around someone or something and hold them close to one's chest or body, typically as a gesture of affection, comfort, or greeting.
   • To hold or carry in one's arms: To take something into one's arms in order to carry or support it.
   • To nurse; to nurture; to cherish: To hold something abstract, like a feeling, hope, or dream, persistently within oneself.
   • To take on; to undertake: To assume responsibility for a task, job, or burden, often implying taking on more than one can handle.

2. Noun:

   • An armful: A quantity of something that can be held within the circle of one's arms.

Usage Examples

• Verb:

  • Cô ấy ôm đứa trẻ thật chặt. (She hugged the child tightly.)
  • Anh ấy ôm một bó củi vào nhà. (He carried an armful of firewood into the house.)
  • Cô ấy ôm hi vọng sẽ gặp lại anh. (She cherished the hope of meeting him again.)
  • Đừng ôm quá nhiều việc một lúc. (Don't take on too many jobs at once.)

• Noun:

  • Anh ấy mang vào một ôm rơm. (He brought in an armful of straw.)

Advanced Usage

• "ôm đầu": Literally "to hold one's head," often used figuratively to express being overwhelmed, stressed, or having a headache from problems.

  • Dự án này khiến tôi chỉ muốn ôm đầu. (This project makes me want to hold my head [in frustration].)

• "ôm hận": To nurse a grudge; to hold onto resentment.

  • Ông ấy ôm hận suốt đời vì chuyện đó. (He nursed a grudge for life because of that.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ôm ấp (v): To hug and cherish; to nurture tenderly (often used for feelings or dreams).

  • Cô ấy ôm ấp giấc mơ du lịch vòng quanh thế giới. (She cherishes the dream of traveling around the world.)

• Ôm đồm (v): To take on an excessive number of tasks or responsibilities.

  • Tính ôm đồm của anh ấy khiến anh luôn căng thẳng. (His tendency to take on too much keeps him constantly stressed.)

Synonyms

• Hug, embrace: To hold someone close with arms.
• Cherish, nurture: To hold a feeling or idea dearly.
• Undertake, assume: To take on a task.

Related Idioms

• Ôm bụng cười: To laugh heartily; to hold one's stomach while laughing.

  • Câu chuyện hài khiến mọi người ôm bụng cười. (The funny story made everyone hold their stomachs laughing.)

• Khố rách áo ôm: A state of extreme poverty and destitution (literally: torn loincloth, hugging [tattered] shirt).

  • Gia đình ấy đang trong cảnh khố rách áo ôm. (That family is in a state of utter poverty.)

• Ôm cây đợi thỏ: To wait idly for an unrealistic gain; similar to "waiting for a windfall."

  • Anh ta cứ ôm cây đợi thỏ mà không chịu làm việc. (He just waits idly for unrealistic gains instead of working.)

verb

1. to embrace; to hug; to take in one's arms
   • ôm đầu
     to take one's head in one's hands. nurse; nurture
   • ôm một giấc mộng to lớn
     to nurture a great dream. to take on;
   • ôm nhiều việc quá
     to take on too many jobs