Definition

1. Verb:

   • To bestow or inflict (something, often negative, from above): This meaning conveys the act of causing something, typically a punishment, misfortune, or a powerful blow, to descend upon someone or something.
   • To lower or demote: Refers to the formal reduction of someone's rank, position, or status.
   • To descend (in a spiritual or mythical context): Used to describe a divine or celestial being coming down to the earthly realm.

2. Noun (Music):

   • Flat: A sign (♭) placed before a musical note to indicate it should be lowered in pitch by one semitone.

Usage Examples

• Verb (to inflict):

  • Trời giáng một trận mưa lớn. (Heaven unleashed a heavy rain.)
  • Tai họa bất ngờ giáng xuống gia đình họ. (Disaster suddenly struck their family.)

• Verb (to lower/demote):

  • Ông ấy bị giáng chức vì sai phạm. (He was demoted for misconduct.)

• Verb (to descend):

  • Theo truyền thuyết, vị thần đó đã giáng trần giúp dân làng. (According to legend, that deity descended to earth to help the villagers.)

• Noun (Music):

  • Bản nhạc này có nhiều dấu giáng. (This piece of music has many flats.)

Advanced Usage

• "giáng sinh": Christmas (literally, "the descent of birth," referring to the birth of Jesus Christ).

  • Lễ Giáng Sinh được tổ chức vào ngày 25 tháng 12. (Christmas is celebrated on December 25th.)

• "đòn giáng": a devastating blow (physical or metaphorical).

  • Tin đó là một đòn giáng tinh thần nặng nề. (That news was a heavy psychological blow.)

Variants and Related Words

• Giáng cấp (v): to demote, to reduce in rank.

  • Viên sĩ quan bị giáng cấp xuống binh nhì. (The officer was demoted to private.)

• Giáng chức (v): to demote from a position.

  • Giám đốc có thể bị giáng chức nếu làm việc kém hiệu quả. (The director could be demoted if performance is poor.)

• Giáng thế (v): to descend into the world (often used for deities or important figures).

  • Truyện kể về một vị tiên giáng thế. (The story is about a fairy who descended to the mortal world.)

Synonyms

• Inflict: to impose something unpleasant.
• Demote: to lower in rank or position.
• Descend: to move or fall downwards.

Related Idioms

• Như trời giáng: like a bolt from the blue; something sudden, severe, and unexpected (often negative).

  • Tin dữ ấy đến như trời giáng. (That bad news came like a bolt from the blue.)

• Giáng phúc: to bestow blessings (a more positive, though less common, application of the "bestow from above" meaning).

  • Cầu mong trời giáng phúc. (We pray for heaven to bestow blessings.)

verb

1. to lower, to descend
   • giáng cấp
     to reduce to a lower rank