Definition

1. Verb:
   • To flick; to fillip: To propel a small object or to strike a part of the body by pressing a finger (usually the thumb) against another and suddenly releasing it with force.
   • To spin; to make spin: To use a flicking motion with the fingers to set a small object (like a coin or a top) into rapid rotation.
   • (Sports, Volleyball) To volley; to set: To pass the ball using the fingertips, typically when the ball is above chest height.
   • (Of shrimp, etc.) To flick; to dart: To contract the body and spring forward to move quickly.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Anh ấy búng một hòn sỏi xuống hồ. (He flicked a pebble into the pond.)
  • Trẻ con thích búng đồng xu cho nó quay. (Children like to spin a coin to make it rotate.)
  • Cầu thủ búng bóng thật chuẩn cho đồng đội đập bóng. (The player volleyed the ball perfectly for his teammate to spike.)
  • Con tôm búng một cái là biến mất. (The shrimp darted away and disappeared.)

Advanced Usage

• "búng tay": to snap one's fingers.

  • Chỉ cần búng tay một cái, điều ước sẽ thành hiện thực. (Just snap your fingers, and the wish will come true.)

• "búng vào má/tai": to fillip someone's cheek/ear.

  • Bà búng vào má đứa cháu một cái thật yêu. (The grandmother gave her grandchild an affectionate fillip on the cheek.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cái búng tay (n): a snap of the fingers; a fillip.
  • Một cái búng tay cũng đủ làm nó đau. (Just one fillip was enough to hurt it.)

Synonyms

• Bật (v): to flick; to spring (often used for switches or springs, but can overlap in the context of a quick release).
• Quăng (v): to toss; to throw (generally implies a larger motion than ).

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

(This concept is less common for Vietnamese verbs, but here are common verb+object combinations.) - Búng ra: to flick something out/off. - Anh ta búng điếu thuốc ra khỏi cửa sổ. (He flicked the cigarette out the window.)

Related Idioms

• Nhẹ như búng: (as light as a flick) meaning something is very easy to do.
  • Công việc này đối với anh ta nhẹ như búng. (This task is as easy as pie for him.)

verb

1. to flip; to flick;
   • búng vào tai
     to fillip someone's ear
2. To spin