Definition

1. Verb:

   • To propagate, to grow (sweet potato vines) from cuttings: "gơ" specifically refers to the agricultural method of planting and nurturing stem cuttings of sweet potato to grow new vines for cultivation.
   • To propagate (vegetables): In a broader sense, it can also refer to the propagation of certain vegetables from cuttings.

2. Noun:

   • A basket made of bamboo or rattan: "gơ" is a type of woven basket, typically used in agriculture to carry soil, manure, or other materials.

Usage Examples

• Verb:

  • Bà ngoại đang gơ dây khoai lang ở góc vườn. (My grandmother is propagating sweet potato vines in the corner of the garden.)
  • Muốn trồng rau muống nhanh, người ta thường gơ từ những đoạn thân già. (To grow water spinach quickly, people often propagate it from mature stem cuttings.)

• Noun:

  • Người nông dân dùng cái gơ để vận chuyển phân ra đồng. (The farmer uses the bamboo basket to transport manure to the field.)
  • Đất được đựng đầy trong những chiếc gơ. (The soil is filled in the rattan baskets.)

Advanced Usage

• "gơ giống": to propagate seeds/seedlings (specifically from cuttings).
  • Công đoạn gơ giống khoai lang rất quan trọng để có vụ mùa tốt. (The stage of propagating sweet potato seedlings is very important for a good harvest.)

Variants and Related Words

• Giâm cành / Chiết cành: These are more general modern terms for plant propagation techniques like cutting and layering, which encompass the meaning of "gơ".
• Sọt, thúng, mẹt: Other types of traditional Vietnamese baskets and trays. "Gơ" is a specific type often used for heavy materials like soil.

Synonyms

• Nhân giống (bằng cách giâm cành): to propagate (by cuttings).
• Ươm dây: to grow vines (from cuttings).

Related Phrases

• Đi gơ khoai: to go and plant sweet potato cuttings.
  • Sáng sớm, cả nhà đã ra đồng đi gơ khoai. (Early in the morning, the whole family went to the field to plant sweet potato cuttings.)

Notes on Meaning

• The verb meaning of "gơ" is highly specific to traditional Vietnamese agriculture, particularly for climbing plants like sweet potatoes. It is less commonly used in modern, technical agricultural language, where terms like "giâm cành" (to take cuttings) are preferred.
• The noun meaning refers to a specific tool. The two meanings (verb and noun) are distinct and context-dependent.

1. Nurse a strain (of sweet potato)