Definition

1. Verb:
   • To lead (by the hand, leash, or similar): The primary meaning of "dắt" is to physically guide someone or something by holding onto them, such as a hand, a leash, or a handle, and taking them along with you.
   • To tow: "Dắt" can mean to pull an inanimate object, typically a vehicle that is not under its own power, such as a bicycle or a motorbike, while walking beside it.
   • To take/bring along: In a broader sense, "dắt" implies taking someone or something with you to a place.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Mẹ dắt tay em bé qua đường. (The mother leads the child by the hand across the street.)
  • Xe tôi hỏng, tôi phải dắt nó về nhà. (My motorbike broke down, I had to tow it home.)
  • Anh ấy dắt chó đi dạo công viên mỗi tối. (He takes his dog for a walk in the park every evening.)

Advanced Usage

• "dắt díu": to lead along (often multiple people or things, sometimes implying a cumbersome or tangled situation).

  • Bà cụ dắt díu lũ cháu nhỏ đi chợ. (The old woman led her flock of grandchildren to the market.)

• "dắt mối": to act as a matchmaker or intermediary; to connect people for a purpose.

  • Cô ấy dắt mối cho tôi gặp đối tác quan trọng. (She connected me to meet an important partner.)

Variants and Related Words

• Dẫn dắt (v): to guide, to mentor, to lead (often in a figurative, non-physical sense like in teaching or leadership).

  • Thầy giáo dẫn dắt học sinh tìm hiểu kiến thức. (The teacher guides students to explore knowledge.)

• Dắt dèo (v, colloquial): to lead along a difficult or winding path.

  • Đường núi khó đi, phải dắt dèo nhau từng bước. (The mountain path is hard; we have to carefully lead each other step by step.)

Synonyms

• Lead: to guide or show the way.
• Guide: to assist in moving in a particular direction.
• Tow: to pull a vehicle or object behind.

Related Idioms

• Dắt lưng: to have in reserve, to keep something handy (often money).

  • Anh ấy luôn dắt lưng một ít tiền mặt phòng khi khẩn cấp. (He always keeps a bit of cash in reserve for emergencies.)

• Dắt mũi: to lead by the nose; to deceive or manipulate someone into doing what you want.

  • Đừng để họ dắt mũi mình. (Don't let them lead you by the nose.)

verb

1. to lead; to tow; to guide
   • dắt con đi
     to lead son by the hand