Definition

1. Noun:

   • Scale, balance: A device used to measure the weight of an object.
   • Weight: The heaviness of an object as measured by a scale.
   • Catty: A traditional unit of mass in Vietnam, approximately 0.605 kilograms.
   • Kilo, kilogram: A modern unit of mass equal to 1000 grams. (Common colloquial usage).

2. Verb:

   • To weigh: To measure the weight of something using a scale.
   • To weigh out / to measure out: To portion something by weight, often used for ingredients or medicine.

3. Adjective:

   • Balanced, even, level: Being in a state of equilibrium; not tilted or lopsided.
   • Equal, equivalent, matched: Being of the same measure, value, or capability.
   • Isosceles: (In geometry) Describing a triangle with two sides of equal length.
   • Fair, equitable, just: Characterized by impartiality and justice.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Hãy đặt túi lên cân. (Please put the bag on the scale.)
  • Gói hàng này có cân nặng là 2 kg. (This package has a weight of 2 kg.)
  • Mẹ mua một cân thịt. (Mom bought a kilo of meat.)
• Verb:
  • Cô ấy cân túi trái cây. (She weighs the bag of fruit.)
  • Người bán thuốc cân các vị thuốc theo đơn. (The herbalist weighs out the medicinal ingredients according to the prescription.)
• Adjective:
  • Chiếc đèn treo không cân. (The hanging lamp is not level.)
  • Hai đô vật cân sức cân tài. (The two wrestlers are matched in strength and skill.)
  • Tam giác cân. (Isosceles triangle.)
  • Một quyết định cân nhắc. (A fair and considered decision.)

Advanced Usage

• "cân não": To brainstorm intensely; to think very hard (literally: to weigh the brain).
  • Đội ngũ kỹ sư đang cân não để tìm giải pháp. (The engineering team is brainstorming intensely to find a solution.)
• "cân đo đong đếm": To calculate meticulously; to weigh and measure every detail (often figuratively).
  • Anh ấy luôn cân đo đong đếm trước khi đưa ra quyết định tài chính. (He always calculates meticulously before making a financial decision.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cân bằng (adj, v): Balanced, equilibrium; to balance.
  • Giữ cân bằng cuộc sống và công việc. (To maintain a balance between life and work.)
• Cân đối (adj): Well-proportioned, symmetrical.
  • Một cơ thể cân đối. (A well-proportioned body.)
• Cân nhắc (v): To consider, to deliberate.
  • Tôi cần cân nhắc lời đề nghị. (I need to consider the offer.)

Synonyms

• Noun (Scale): balance, weighing machine.
• Verb (To weigh): to measure weight, to scale.
• Adjective (Balanced): even, steady, symmetrical.
• Adjective (Fair): just, equitable, impartial.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Cầm cân nảy mực: To hold the scales and adjust the plumb line; to be an arbiter of justice or fairness.
  • Thẩm phán phải là người cầm cân nảy mực. (A judge must be the one who holds the scales of justice.)
• Kẻ tám lạng, người nửa cân: Literally "One person eight , the other half a " (where 8 = 0.5 ). Used to describe two parties that are equally matched, often in a negative sense (e.g., equally bad).
  • Hai đối thủ đó thật là kẻ tám lạng, người nửa cân. (Those two opponents are truly six of one and half a dozen of the other.)

noun

1. Scale, balance
   • đặt lên cân
     to put (something) on a scale, to weigh (something)
   • cán cân
     a scale-beam
   • cán cân công lý
     the scales of justice
2. Weight
   • thêm vào cho nặng cân
     to add (something) to increase the weight
   • nhẹ cân
     to be light in weight
3. Catty (0,605kg)
4. Kilo
   • một cân đường
     a kilo of sugar