cặp kè
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To be inseparable; to stick close to someone: Describes two or more people (or sometimes things) who are constantly together, following each other closely and not parting ways. It implies a very close, often affectionate or dependent, companionship.
- (Archaic) To play castanets: An older, less common meaning referring to the playing of castanets, a percussion instrument used by traditional street performers.
Usage Examples
- Verb (to be inseparable):
- Hai đứa trẻ lúc nào cũng cặp kè nhau. (The two children are always stuck together.)
- Đôi bạn thân cặp kè nhau như hình với bóng. (The two bosom friends are inseparable like a body and its shadow.)
- Cô ấy đi cặp kè một bên anh ấy suốt buổi tối. (She walked close at his side all evening.)
Advanced Usage
- The word often carries a nuance of constant, sometimes conspicuous, togetherness. It can be used neutrally, affectionately, or sometimes slightly critically to imply dependency or a lack of independence.
- The archaic meaning related to castanets is rarely used in modern everyday language but may appear in historical or cultural contexts.
Variants and Related Words
- Cặp (n): pair, couple; (v): to pair up.
- một cặp vợ chồng (a married couple)
- Kè kè (adv): describes following or sticking to someone very persistently and closely.
- Nó đi kè kè bên mẹ. (He follows his mother around persistently.)
Synonyms
- To be attached at the hip: (Idiomatic) To be constantly together.
- To shadow: To follow and observe closely.
- To accompany closely: To go with someone side-by-side.
Related Idioms
- Như hình với bóng: (Like a body and its shadow) An idiom meaning "inseparable," frequently used in conjunction with cặp kè to emphasize the closeness.
verb
- To be inseparable
- đôi bạn thân cặp kè nhau như hình với bóngthe two bosom friends are inseparable like a body and its shadow
- đi cặp kè một bênto walk close at somebody's side