Definition

1. Verb:

   • To pad; to stuff; to fill: To add soft material inside something to increase its volume, softness, or shape, such as padding a pillow or a piece of clothing.
   • To mix in; to blend with (a staple): To combine a cheaper or secondary ingredient (like corn, sweet potato) with a primary one (like rice) to extend the quantity, often due to scarcity.

2. Adjective:

   • Slow-witted; dull; obtuse: Describes a person who is not quick to understand or perceive; somewhat foolish or stupid.

3. Noun (archaic):

   • A method of divination; prophecy by calculation: Refers to an ancient Vietnamese method of fortune-telling or prediction, such as "bấm độn" (finger calculation divination).

Usage Examples

• Verb (to pad/fill):

  • Cô ấy độn bông vào áo khoác. (She padded the jacket with cotton.)
  • Chiếc gối này được độn rất êm. (This pillow is stuffed very softly.)

• Verb (to mix in):

  • Ngày xưa, gạo thường được độn với khoai. (In the past, rice was often mixed with sweet potato.)
  • Bữa cơm độn ngô. (A meal of rice blended with corn.)

• Adjective (slow-witted):

  • Đứa trẻ đó hơi độn, tiếp thu chậm. (That child is a bit slow-witted and learns slowly.)
  • Anh ta trông có vẻ độn. (He seems rather dull.)

Advanced Usage

• "độn vai" (noun): Shoulder pad.

  • Chiếc áo vest có độn vai. (The suit jacket has shoulder pads.)

• "độn tóc" (noun/phrase): A hairpiece; a pad of false hair used to add volume to a hairstyle.

  • Cô ấy dùng độn tóc để tạo kiểu tóc bồng bềnh. (She used a hairpiece to create a voluminous hairstyle.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bấm độn (v/n): To perform or the act of finger-calculation divination.

  • Ông già ngồi bấm độn. (The old man sat doing finger-calculation divination.)

• Đần độn (adj): A stronger, often derogatory term meaning very stupid or idiotic.

  • Hành động đần độn. (A foolish action.)

Synonyms

• To pad / to stuff: To cushion, to fill.
• To mix in: To adulterate, to blend.
• Slow-witted: Dull, obtuse, dim.
• Divination: Fortune-telling, prophecy.

Related Idioms

• Độn thổ (idiomatic verb): Literally "to stuff into the earth"; meaning to wish one could disappear into the ground out of extreme embarrassment or shame.
  • Xấu hổ quá, muốn độn thổ. (So ashamed, I wish the earth would swallow me up.)

verb

1. To pad; to fill; to stuff