Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To beat a drum; to play a drum: The action of striking a drum with sticks or hands to produce sound. This is the core, literal meaning.
   • To sound a drum; to drum: The action of causing a drum to sound, often for signaling, ceremony, or music.

Usage Examples

• Literal action:
  • Anh ấy đánh trống rất hay. (He plays the drum very well.)
  • Người lính đánh trống báo hiệu. (The soldier beat the drum to signal.)
• In a ceremonial or performance context:
  • Trong lễ hội, họ đánh trống mừng. (During the festival, they drum to celebrate.)
  • Cô ấy học cách đánh trống trong ban nhạc. (She is learning how to play the drums in the band.)

Advanced Usage

• "đánh trống lảng": To beat the drum and wander off; an idiom meaning to evade a question or topic, to beat around the bush or change the subject.
  • Khi tôi hỏi về lỗi sai, anh ta đánh trống lảng. (When I asked about the mistake, he evaded the question.)
• "đánh trống bỏ dùi": To beat the drum and then abandon the drumsticks; an idiom meaning to start something but not finish it, to leave a task incomplete.
  • Dự án đó anh ta chỉ đánh trống bỏ dùi. (He started that project but left it unfinished.)

Variants and Related Words

• Trống (n): Drum. The noun for the instrument itself.
• Dùi trống / Gậy đánh trống (n): Drumstick.
• Tiếng trống (n): The sound of a drum.
• Người đánh trống / Trống thủ (n): Drummer.

Synonyms

• Gõ trống: To tap/knock on a drum (often implies a lighter action).
• Thổi kèn đánh trống: An idiom ("to blow the trumpet and beat the drum") meaning to boast or advertise loudly.

Related Phrases / Idioms

• Ăn cơm nhà vác tù và hàng tổng: Literally "to eat at home but carry the horn and drum for the whole village"; meaning to do unpaid public service work or to meddle in others' affairs. While not containing "đánh trống," it shares the ceremonial instrument imagery.
• Nổi trống lên: To raise/start beating the drum; to make a big announcement or commotion about something.

1. Spool