Definition

1. Verb:
   • To steal, to pilfer (slang/informal): "chíp" primarily means to take something without permission, especially in a sneaky or petty manner. This is its most common usage in everyday Vietnamese.
   • To pinch, to snatch: It implies a quick, often covert, act of taking something small.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Ai đã chíp mất cái mũ của tớ rồi? (Who stole/pinched my hat?)
  • Đừng có chíp đồ của người khác. (Don't steal other people's things.)
  • Thằng bé chíp một cái kẹo trên bàn. (The boy snatched a candy from the table.)

Advanced Usage

• "chíp" is considered informal and slightly vulgar. It is more casual and colloquial than the standard word "ăn cắp".
  • Nó bị bắt quả tang chíp ví. (He was caught red-handed stealing a wallet.)

Variants and Related Words

• Chip (noun - from English): In computing, this loanword refers to a microchip or semiconductor chip. This is a distinct, unrelated meaning.
  • Máy tính này dùng chip mới nhất. (This computer uses the latest chip.)

Synonyms

• Ăn cắp: to steal (more standard/neutral).
• Xoáy (slang): to swipe, to take.
• Lấy trộm: to take stealthily.

Notes on Different Meanings

• The verb "chíp" (to steal) and the noun "chip" (microchip) are homophones in Vietnamese but have completely different origins and meanings. Context is crucial for understanding.
• The reference to "to keep to tighten" is not a standard or widely recognized definition for "chíp" in modern Vietnamese. The primary meaning is related to theft.

verb

1. to keep to tighten