giọi
Verb: - To shine a light or beam directly onto something; to illuminate a specific spot or area: This is the primary meaning, describing the action of directing a focused light, such as from a flashlight or the sun, onto a particular point. - To flash; to appear suddenly and briefly like a flash of light: This meaning describes a quick, bright emission or appearance of light.
- Verb:
- Anh ấy giọi đèn pin vào góc tối. (He shone the flashlight into the dark corner.)
- Ánh nắng buổi sáng giọi qua khe cửa. (The morning sunlight shone through the door crack.)
- Một tia chớp giọi sáng cả bầu trời đêm. (A lightning bolt flashed, lighting up the whole night sky.)
- "giọi thẳng": to shine/flash directly.
- Đèn pha ô tô giọi thẳng vào mắt tôi. (The car's headlights shone straight into my eyes.)
- Rọi: This is a more common synonym with the same meaning (to shine a light, to illuminate). "Giọi" is often considered a variant or less common form of "rọi".
- Dùng đèn rọi để tìm chìa khóa. (Use a flashlight to shine to find the keys.)
- Chiếu: A broader term meaning to shine, illuminate, or project light over an area. It can be used in similar contexts but is less focused than "giọi/rọi".
- Loé: to flash, to glint (emphasizing a very brief, sudden burst of light).
- Rọi: to shine a light on, to illuminate (a spot).
- Chiếu: to shine, to illuminate.
- Loé: to flash, to glint.
The word "giọi" is primarily used in the context of light. The definitions from other dictionaries (e.g., "to repair a roof") are considered homographs—different words that happen to share the same spelling. The core and most common meaning for the word "giọi" in modern Vietnamese is related to light (shining, flashing). The roofing-related term is archaic, highly specialized, and not used in everyday language.