Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To take a shortcut: To travel from one place to another by a route that is shorter or quicker than the usual or main route.
   • To bypass / to circumvent: To avoid following the standard, longer, or more complex procedure by using a quicker, simpler, or more direct method.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Chúng tôi đi tắt qua cánh đồng để về nhà sớm. (We took a shortcut through the field to get home early.)
  • Để tiết kiệm thời gian, anh ấy thường đi tắt con đường nhỏ này. (To save time, he often takes this small road as a shortcut.)
  • Cô ấy đi tắt các thủ tục hành chính bằng cách nộp đơn trực tuyến. (She bypassed the administrative procedures by applying online.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase can be used metaphorically in non-physical contexts, such as in learning, career development, or problem-solving, to describe achieving a goal faster than normal, sometimes implying a lack of thoroughness.
  • Học tiếng Anh không có đường đi tắt. (There is no shortcut to learning English.)

Variants and Related Words

• Đường tắt (n): A shortcut (the path itself).
  • Bản đồ chỉ ra một đường tắt đến bãi biển. (The map shows a shortcut to the beach.)

Synonyms

• Shortcut: To take a quicker, more direct route.
• Bypass: To avoid something by going around it.
• Cut through: To go directly across an area to shorten the journey.

Related Idioms

• Đi tắt đón đầu: To take a shortcut to get ahead; to anticipate and act before others to gain an advantage. This often has a strategic or competitive connotation.
  • Công ty đó luôn đi tắt đón đầu trong việc áp dụng công nghệ mới. (That company always takes shortcuts to get ahead in adopting new technology.)

1. Take a short-cut