Definition

Noun: 1. Lines of the hand: The natural creases or lines on the palm of the hand, often associated with palmistry. 2. The act of pointing with a finger: The gesture of extending a finger, especially the index finger, to indicate a direction, object, or person.

Verb (chỉ tay): 1. To point (at): To use one's finger to direct attention toward something or someone. 2. To boss around, to order (someone): To give orders or commands in an authoritative, often overbearing, manner (as in the idiom "quen thói chỉ tay").

Usage Examples

• Noun (Lines of the hand):

  • Cô ấy xem chỉ tay để đoán vận mệnh. (She reads palm lines to tell fortunes.)
  • Chỉ tay của mỗi người là độc nhất. (Everyone's palm lines are unique.)

• Noun/Verb (Act of pointing):

  • Anh ấy chỉ tay về phía ngọn núi. (He pointed toward the mountain.)
  • Đừng chỉ tay vào mặt người khác khi nói chuyện. (Don't point your finger at someone's face when talking.)

• Verb (To boss around):

  • Ông chủ chỉ biết ngồi một chỗ và chỉ tay năm ngón. (The boss just sits in one place and bosses everyone around.)
  • Cô ấy không thích bị người khác chỉ tay. (She doesn't like being ordered around by others.)

Advanced Usage

• "chỉ tay năm ngón": An idiom literally meaning "to point with five fingers," used to vividly describe the act of bossing people around, giving orders without doing the work oneself.
  • Công việc thì không làm, chỉ giỏi chỉ tay năm ngón. (He doesn't do any work, he's only good at bossing people around.)

Variants and Related Words

• Chỉ trỏ (verb): To point at; often carries a negative connotation of blaming or accusing.
  • Mọi người chỉ trỏ và bàn tán. (People pointed and gossiped.)
• Đường chỉ tay (noun phrase): Another way to say "palm lines," more explicitly meaning "lines on the hand."
• Ra lệnh (verb): To give orders, to command. A more formal synonym for the "bossing around" meaning.

Synonyms

• For "lines of the hand": Vân tay (fingerprints), đường vân (lines/creases).
• For "to point": Chỉ, hướng về.
• For "to boss around": Sai khiến, sai bảo, ra lệnh.

Related Phrases/Idioms

• Quen thói chỉ tay: To be accustomed to the habit of bossing people around.
  • Anh ta đã quen thói chỉ tay từ nhỏ. (He has been accustomed to bossing people around since he was young.)
• Chỉ tay lên trời: To point a finger at the sky; can imply making a solemn vow or, in some contexts, blaming fate/heaven.
• Múa tay múa chân / Chỉ chân chỉ tay: To gesticulate wildly with hands and feet; to argue noisily with lots of pointing and gesturing.

noun

1. lines of the hand