Definition

1. Verb:
   • To recommend, to advise carefully: "căn dặn" means to give someone detailed, careful, and often repeated advice or instructions, usually out of concern or responsibility.
   • To instruct meticulously: It implies giving thorough and specific guidance, often before an important event or task.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Mẹ tôi căn dặn tôi phải cẩn thận khi đi đường. (My mother advised me to be careful on the road.)
  • Trước khi tôi đi du học, ông bà đã căn dặn tôi rất nhiều điều. (Before I went abroad to study, my grandparents gave me a lot of careful advice.)
  • Giám đốc căn dặn nhân viên phải hoàn thành báo cáo đúng hạn. (The director instructed the staff to complete the report on time.)

Advanced Usage

• "căn dặn từng li từng tí": to advise or instruct in every minute detail; to give extremely meticulous guidance.
  • Bà ngoại căn dặn từng li từng tí về cách nấu món ăn truyền thống. (My grandmother gave me detailed instructions down to the smallest point on how to cook the traditional dish.)

Variants and Related Words

• Dặn dò (verb): to advise, to remind. This is a close synonym but can sometimes be slightly less intense or meticulous than "căn dặn".
  • Cô giáo dặn dò học sinh làm bài tập về nhà. (The teacher reminded the students to do their homework.)
• Khuyên bảo (verb): to counsel, to advise. This focuses more on the act of giving counsel.
  • Anh ấy luôn khuyên bảo em trai sống lương thiện. (He always counsels his younger brother to live honestly.)

Synonyms

• Khuyên (verb): to advise.
• Chỉ bảo (verb): to instruct, to guide.
• Nhắc nhở (verb): to remind (often of duties or rules).

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Căn dặn đi căn dặn lại: to advise over and over again; to repeatedly give instructions.
  • Bố mẹ căn dặn đi căn dặn lại về sự nguy hiểm của ma túy. (Parents advise repeatedly about the dangers of drugs.)

Related Idioms

• Căn dặn như đinh đóng cột: to advise in a very firm, serious, and unforgettable manner (literally: to advise as firmly as a nailed pillar).
  • Ông ấy căn dặn con cháu phải giữ gìn nếp nhà như đinh đóng cột. (He advised his descendants firmly and seriously to preserve the family traditions.)

verb

1. To recommend
   • căn dặn từng li từng tí
     to make careful recommendations