dun

/dʌn/

Thân thiện

Hai người đàn ông đang dun chiếc xe máy trên con đường làng.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To push from behind, especially to start a vehicle: The primary meaning of 'dun' is to push a vehicle (like a car or motorbike) from behind to get its engine started, often because the battery is dead.
   • To shove, to propel forward: More generally, it can mean to give something or someone a strong push from behind to initiate movement.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Xe tôi hết điện, anh dun giúp tôi một cái. (My car battery is dead, please give it a push to start it.)
  • Chiếc xe bị hỏng, chúng tôi phải dun nó vào bãi đỗ. (The car broke down, we had to push it into the parking lot.)
  • Đứa trẻ dun chiếc xe đồ chơi đi. (The child pushed the toy car to make it go.)

Advanced Usage

• "Dun cho nổ máy" / "Dun xe": This is a fixed phrase meaning specifically to push-start a vehicle.
  • Trời lạnh khiến xe khó nổ máy, có khi phải dun. (The cold weather makes the car hard to start, sometimes you have to push-start it.)

Variants and Related Words

• Đẩy: (Verb) To push. This is the standard, more common word for pushing in any direction. 'Dun' implies a specific context or a stronger, more forceful push from behind.
• Xô: (Verb) To shove, to jostle. Implies a rougher or more abrupt push.

Synonyms

• Đẩy: To push.
• Thúc: To urge, to prod (can be used physically or metaphorically).

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Dun dần: To push something forward gradually or repeatedly.
  • Anh ta dun dần chiếc thuyền ra khơi. (He gradually pushed the boat out to sea.)

Related Idioms

• Dun vai: To give a shoulder push (often used figuratively to mean giving encouragement or a nudge).
  • Nhờ anh dun vai mà dự án của tôi mới thành công. (Thanks to your encouragement/nudge, my project succeeded.)

Học thuật

1. (ít dùng) Push from behind
   • Dun xe cho nổ máy
     To start a car by pushing from behind