Definition

1. Verb:
   • To arrange, to put in order: "cất dọn" refers to the action of tidying up, putting things back in their proper places, or organizing items to make a space neat and orderly.
   • To clear away, to put away: It specifically implies the act of removing items from a common area (like a table or floor) and storing them appropriately after use.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Sau bữa tối, tôi phải cất dọn bát đĩa. (After dinner, I have to clear away the dishes.)
  • Các con hãy cất dọn đồ chơi vào trong hộp. (Children, please put your toys away in the box.)
  • Cô ấy cất dọn phòng ngủ rất gọn gàng. (She tidied up the bedroom very neatly.)

Advanced Usage

• "cất dọn nhà cửa": to clean and tidy up the house.

  • Cuối tuần là lúc mọi người cùng cất dọn nhà cửa. (The weekend is when everyone cleans and tidies up the house together.)

• "cất dọn sau bữa ăn": to clear up after a meal.

  • Việc cất dọn sau bữa ăn thường mất khoảng mười lăm phút. (Clearing up after a meal usually takes about fifteen minutes.)

Variants and Related Words

• Dọn dẹp (verb): to clean up, to tidy up. This is a very close synonym, often used interchangeably with "cất dọn," though "dọn dẹp" can imply a more thorough cleaning.

  • Chúng tôi dọn dẹp nhà để đón Tết. (We cleaned the house to welcome the New Year.)

• Sắp xếp (verb): to arrange, to organize. Focuses more on the systematic ordering of items rather than the act of clearing them away.

  • Cô ấy sắp xếp sách trên giá rất ngăn nắp. (She arranges the books on the shelf very neatly.)

• Thu dọn (verb): to gather and put away, to clear up. Similar to "cất dọn," often used for clearing a specific area.

  • Thu dọn bàn làm việc trước khi về. (Clear your desk before leaving.)

Synonyms

• Dọn: to clean, to tidy.
• Thu xếp: to arrange, to put in order (can also mean to make arrangements for plans).

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

Note: As Vietnamese does not have phrasal verbs in the same structure as English, this section lists common verb phrases. - Cất đi: to put away (emphasizes the storing action). - Cất đi những cuốn sách cũ đó. (Put away those old books.)

• Dọn dẹp: to clean and tidy up.
  • Chúng ta cần dọn dẹp gara. (We need to clean up the garage.)

Related Idioms

• Ăn xong cất dọn: Literally "finish eating, then clear up." This is not a fixed idiom but a common saying that emphasizes the responsibility to tidy up after oneself, especially after a meal.
  • Nguyên tắc trong nhà là ăn xong cất dọn. (The rule in the house is to clear up after eating.)

1. Arrange, put in order