Definition

1. Noun:

   • A brawl; a fistfight; a scuffle: A physical fight, typically unplanned, disorderly, and involving fists or rough physical contact between individuals or groups.
   • A quarrel; a dispute; an altercation: A heated argument or conflict that may or may not become physical.

2. Verb (rare, often used in the compound "gây đấu ẩu"):

   • To brawl; to scuffle; to fight: To engage in a disorderly physical fight.
   • To quarrel; to dispute: To engage in a heated argument.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Một cuộc đấu ẩu đã nổ ra trước quán bar. (A brawl broke out in front of the bar.)
  • Hai bên đã có một cuộc đấu ẩu bằng tay không. (The two sides had a fistfight.)
• Verb (implied):
  • Nhóm thanh niên bắt đầu đấu ẩu trên đường. (The group of youths started brawling in the street.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "đấu ẩu" is considered somewhat literary or formal when referring to a fight. In modern everyday speech, words like ẩu đả or đánh nhau are more common for describing physical fights.
• It often implies a lack of rules or organization, contrasting with formal contests like đấu võ (martial arts match).

Variants and Related Words

• Ẩu đả (n, v): brawl; to brawl. This is a more common synonym in contemporary usage.
• Đánh nhau (v): to fight each other; the most common and neutral phrase for fighting.
• Xô xát (n): a physical altercation, scuffle.
• Cãi nhau (v): to argue, to quarrel (usually non-physical).

Synonyms

• Brawl: A rough or noisy fight.
• Fistfight: A fight with fists.
• Scuffle: A short, confused fight or struggle.
• Altercation: A noisy argument or disagreement.
• Ruckus: A disturbance or commotion.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Gây đấu ẩu: To provoke or start a brawl.
  • Hắn là kẻ thích gây đấu ẩu. (He is someone who likes to start brawls.)