bén rễ
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To take root: The primary meaning of "bén rễ" is for a plant to begin to establish its roots in the soil after being planted or sown, signifying the initial stage of growth and stability.
- To become established / to strike root: Used figuratively to describe an idea, custom, organization, or feeling that begins to become firmly fixed, accepted, or ingrained in a place, culture, or person's mind.
Usage Examples
- Literal (Botany):
- Cây con mới trồng đã bén rễ. (The newly planted sapling has taken root.)
- Sau một tuần, cành chiết đã bén rễ. (After one week, the air-layered branch has struck root.)
- Figurative:
- Tư tưởng đó đã bén rễ trong cộng đồng. (That ideology has become established within the community.)
- Công ty mới nhanh chóng bén rễ ở thị trường địa phương. (The new company quickly took root in the local market.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is often used in formal or literary contexts to describe the gradual and often positive process of something becoming permanent or deeply embedded.
- Tình yêu âm nhạc đã bén rễ trong cô từ thuở nhỏ. (The love of music took root in her from childhood.)
Variants and Related Words
- Đâm rễ (v): to put down roots; often used interchangeably with "bén rễ" but can imply a deeper, more permanent, or later stage of rooting.
- Bám rễ (v): to cling with roots; to be deeply rooted.
Synonyms
- Take root: to begin to grow roots; to become fixed.
- Strike root: (similar to take root).
- Become established: to become accepted or firmly settled.
- Ingrain: to firmly fix an attitude or habit.
Related Idioms
- While "bén rễ" itself is a set phrase, it is conceptually related to idioms about foundation and growth.
- Ăn sâu bén rễ: (to be deep-rooted) emphasizes something is deeply ingrained and firmly established.
- Những tập tục đó đã ăn sâu bén rễ qua nhiều thế hệ. (Those customs have been deep-rooted through many generations.)