Definition

1. Noun:

   • A type of zither: An ancient, trough-shaped string instrument with five or seven silk strings. In classical literature, it often refers to string instruments in general.
   • One of the Four Arts: Part of the phrase "Cầm, Kỳ, Thi, Hoạ" (Music, Chess, Poetry, Painting), representing the four refined accomplishments of a feudal scholar.

2. Verb:

   • To hold: To grasp or keep something in one's hand or fingers.
   • To take: To receive something into one's hand.
   • To control, to command: To hold and direct something, such as steering a vehicle or leading an army.
   • To pawn: To give property to someone as security for a loan.
   • To be certain: To consider something as assured or guaranteed.
   • To detain: To hold someone in a place, restricting their freedom.
   • To retain: To keep a guest from leaving; to stay somewhere oneself.
   • To stanch, to stop: To stop a bodily fluid (like blood or tears) from flowing.
   • To restrain, to suppress: To hold back an internal feeling or emotion from being expressed.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Tiếng cầm du dương. (The sound of the cầm is melodious.)
  • Ông ấy tinh thông cầm, kỳ, thi, hoạ. (He is proficient in music, chess, poetry, and painting.)

• Verb:

  • Cô ấy cầm một bông hoa. (She is holding a flower.)
  • Anh ấy cầm lái chiếc ô tô. (He is holding the steering wheel of the car / He is driving the car.)
  • Họ phải cầm chiếc vòng vàng để vay tiền. (They had to pawn the gold ring to borrow money.)
  • Bác sĩ cố gắng cầm máu cho bệnh nhân. (The doctor tried to stanch the patient's bleeding.)
  • Cô ấy không thể cầm được nước mắt. (She could not hold back her tears.)

Advanced Usage

• "cầm quyền": to hold power, to be in power.

  • Đảng đó đã cầm quyền nhiều năm. (That party has been in power for many years.)

• "cầm cố": to mortgage, to pledge (as collateral).

  • Họ cầm cố ngôi nhà tại ngân hàng. (They mortgaged the house at the bank.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cầm đồ (v/n): to pawn goods; a pawnshop.

  • Anh ta vào tiệm cầm đồ. (He went into the pawnshop.)

• Cầm tù (v): to imprison, to hold captive.

  • Kẻ phạm tội bị cầm tù. (The criminal was imprisoned.)

• Cầm lòng (v): to restrain one's feelings, to control oneself.

  • Tôi không thể cầm lòng được nữa. (I could no longer control myself / hold back my feelings.)

Synonyms

• To hold: to grasp, to clutch.
• To command: to lead, to direct.
• To pawn: to hock, to pledge.
• To stanch: to stop, to halt (bleeding).
• To restrain: to suppress, to check (emotions).

Related Idioms

• Cầm cân nảy mực: to hold the scales and adjust the weight; to be a fair judge or arbiter.

  • Vị quan tòa phải cầm cân nảy mực. (The judge must be fair and impartial.)

• Cầm bằng: to consider as equal to, to regard as.

  • Anh ấy cầm bằng như không nghe thấy. (He acted as if he didn't hear.)

noun

1. Lute-like instrument; musical instrument
   • Cầm, Kỳ, Thi, Hoạ
     Music, Chess, Poetry, Painting (regarded as the four amusements or accomplishments of a feudal intellectual)

verb

1. To hold, to keep
   • Đảng cầm quyền
     the party holding power, the party in power, the in party
   • người cầm lái
     the person holding the steering wheel, the driver
   • cầm quân đi đánh giặc
     to hold the command of an army and fight aggressors, to command an army in the fight against aggressors
   • cầm tay nhau
     to hold hands