chuyển bánh
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To start moving, to get underway, to begin motion: This phrase is used specifically to describe a vehicle, especially a train, beginning its movement from a stationary position. It refers to the initial moment when wheels start to turn and the vehicle departs.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Tàu hỏa đã chuyển bánh. (The train has started moving.)
- Xe lửa chuyển bánh đúng giờ. (The train got underway on time.)
- Sau khi tất cả hành khách lên tàu, đoàn tàu chuyển bánh. (After all passengers boarded, the train began to move.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is almost exclusively used for wheeled vehicles on tracks or roads, with its most classic and common application being for trains. It emphasizes the commencement of a journey.
Variants and Related Words
Khởi hành (v): to depart, to set off. This is a more general term for departure.
- Máy bay sẽ khởi hành lúc 10 giờ. (The plane will depart at 10 o'clock.)
Bắt đầu chạy (v): to start running. A more literal and descriptive phrase for vehicles.
- Động cơ đã nổ và xe bắt đầu chạy. (The engine started and the car began to run.)
Synonyms
- To depart: to leave, especially to start a journey.
- To set off: to begin a journey.
- To get rolling: (idiomatic) to start moving.
Related Idioms
- While "chuyển bánh" itself is a set phrase, it is sometimes used metaphorically to indicate the start of a project or process, though this is less common.
- Dự án mới cuối cùng cũng chuyển bánh. (The new project has finally gotten underway.)
-
To start moving (xẹ..)
