Definition

1. Verb:
   • To block, to obstruct: To physically place something in the way to prevent passage, movement, or access.
   • To stop, to halt: To cause something moving or progressing to cease.
   • To intercept: To stop or catch something or someone while they are moving from one place to another.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Anh ấy dùng tay chặn đường đi. (He used his hand to block the way.)
  • Cảnh sát chặn chiếc xe lại để kiểm tra. (The police stopped the car for inspection.)
  • Hệ thống phòng thủ tên lửa được thiết kế để chặn tên lửa đối phương. (The missile defense system is designed to intercept enemy missiles.)

Advanced Usage

• "chặn đầu": to block at the source or beginning; to preempt.
  • Chúng ta cần có biện pháp chặn đầu nguồn tin giả. (We need measures to block fake news at the source.)
• "chặn họng" / "nói chặn": to interrupt someone speaking; to take the words right out of someone's mouth.
  • Đừng có chặn họng người khác khi họ đang nói. (Don't interrupt others when they are speaking.)
• Used in technology: "chặn cuộc gọi" (to block a call), "chặn tin nhắn" (to block a message), "chặn website" (to block a website).

Variants and Related Words

• Chặn đứng (verb phrase): to stop something decisively, to bring to a complete halt.
  • Lực lượng cứu hỏa đã chặn đứng đám cháy. (The firefighters stopped the fire in its tracks.)
• Chặn lại (verb + particle): to stop something, to hold back.
  • Cô ấy cố gắng chặn lại dòng nước mắt. (She tried to hold back her tears.)
• Vật chặn (noun): a block, a stopper, an object used for blocking.
  • Dùng cuốn sách làm vật chặn cửa. (Use a book as a door stopper.)

Synonyms

• Cản: to hinder, to obstruct (often implies creating difficulty for movement or progress).
• Ngăn: to prevent, to hinder (often implies creating a barrier to stop something from happening or entering).
• Đón: to intercept, to meet (specifically for intercepting a moving object or person).

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Chặn đường: to block the road/way; to waylay.
  • Một cái cây đổ đã chặn đường vào làng. (A fallen tree blocked the road into the village.)
• Chặn đứng: (see Variants and Related Words).
• Chặn trên: (in sports like volleyball) to block at the net.
  • Vận động viên nhảy lên chặn trên rất đẹp mắt. (The athlete jumped up for a block at the net, which was very impressive.)

Related Idioms

• Chặn tay chặn chân: to tie someone's hands and feet; to obstruct someone's every move, making it impossible for them to act.
  • Quy định mới chặn tay chặn chân các nhà kinh doanh. (The new regulations tie the hands of business owners.)
• Chặn đầu chặn đuôi: to block at both ends; to thoroughly obstruct or intercept.
  • Kế hoạch của đối thủ đã bị chặn đầu chặn đuôi. (The opponent's plan was blocked at every turn.)

verb

1. To block, to stop, to intercept
   • lấy ghế chặn cửa
     to block the door with a chair
   • chặn cho giấy khỏi bay
     to keep down sheets of paper to prevent them from flying about
   • cầu thủ chặn bóng
     the player blocked a ball
   • chặn các ngả đường
     to block all accesses
   • tiêm để chặn cơn sốt
     to give an injection to stop a fit of fever
   • nói chặn
     to take the wind out of someone's sail, to take the words out of somebody's mouth