Definition

1. Verb:

   • To block; to obstruct: To physically stand in the way of something or someone, preventing movement or passage.
   • To prevent; to stop; to hinder: To take action to stop an event, action, or process from happening or continuing.
   • To resist; to oppose: To act against a force, movement, or influence.

2. Noun:

   • A barrier; a dam; an obstruction: A physical structure built to block or control the flow of something, like water.

Usage Examples

• Verb:

  • Hàng cây cản gió. (The row of trees blocks the wind.)
  • Cảnh sát cản đường không cho xe đi qua. (The police blocked the road, not letting vehicles pass.)
  • Anh ấy cản tôi không cho tôi nói. (He stopped me from speaking.)

• Noun:

  • Người ta đắp một cái cản trên sông. (They built a dam on the river.)

Advanced Usage

• "cản bước": To block someone's path or progress.

  • Không khó khăn nào có thể cản bước anh ấy. (No difficulty can block his progress.)

• "cản phá": To obstruct and destroy; often used in military or sports contexts.

  • Hậu vệ cản phá thành công cú sút. (The defender successfully blocked the shot.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cản trở (v): To obstruct; to impede; to hinder (often used for abstract obstacles).

  • Thiếu vốn cản trở sự phát triển của dự án. (Lack of capital hinders the project's development.)

• Ngăn cản (v): To prevent; to stop (emphasizing the act of prevention).

  • Bố mẹ không ngăn cản ước mơ của con. (Parents do not prevent their child's dreams.)

Synonyms

• Block: To obstruct a path or passage.
• Prevent: To stop something from happening.
• Hinder: To create difficulties, resulting in delay or obstruction.
• Obstruct: To be in the way of.

Related Idioms

• Sạch nước cản:
  • (Literally from chess) To know all the rules thoroughly; to be an expert.

    • Anh ấy chơi cờ sạch nước cản. (He plays chess knowing all the rules perfectly.)
  • (Colloquial) To describe a woman who is reasonably good-looking; "not bad-looking."

    • Cô ấy cũng sạch nước cản. (She's also quite good-looking.)

verb

1. To prevent, to stop, to bar
   • rừng cây cản gió
     the forest of trees stops the wind
   • cản bước tiến
     to prevent someone's advance
   • cản đường
     to block the way
   • hắn cản địch cho đồng đội rút lui
     to lay a barrage for fellow combatants to withdraw; to cover fellow combatants' retreat with a barrage
   • sức cản
     resistance force

noun

1. Barrage, dam
   • đắp cản trên sông
     to build a dam on the river