Definition

1. Verb:
   • To crumb: To break something, typically a dry or brittle substance like bread or a cracker, into very small pieces or crumbs.
   • To crumble: To break or fall apart into small fragments, often with a sense of being easily broken due to dryness or fragility.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Cô ấy bẻ vụn bánh mì cho chim ăn. (She crumbled the bread to feed the birds.)
  • Chiếc bánh quy khô đến nỗi chỉ cần chạm nhẹ là nó đã bẻ vụn. (The cookie was so dry that it crumbled at the slightest touch.)
  • Đừng bẻ vụn phấn viết bảng lên sàn. (Don't crumble the chalk onto the floor.)

Advanced Usage

• The action often implies a deliberate, manual breaking apart using fingers, rather than a natural disintegration.
• It can be used metaphorically to describe the act of breaking down an abstract concept into smaller, more manageable parts, though this is less common.

Variants and Related Words

• Vụn (adj/n): Describes something in small, broken pieces, or refers to the crumbs/fragments themselves.

  • bánh mì vụn (breadcrumbs)

• Bẻ (v): The root verb meaning "to break" or "to snap" (by bending), often with the hands.

  • bẻ cành cây (to break a tree branch)

Synonyms

• To fragment: To break into pieces.
• To break up: To separate into smaller parts.
• To pulverize: To reduce to fine particles (more intense than "bẻ vụn").

Related Idioms

• Bẻ vụn ý chí: To break someone's will or spirit (figurative use).
  • Những khó khăn không thể bẻ vụn ý chí của anh ấy. (The difficulties could not crumble his will.)

verb

1. to crumb; to crumble