Definition

1. Verb:

   • To have (something) stuck in one's throat: The primary meaning refers to a physical object, like a fish bone or a piece of food, becoming lodged in the throat, causing discomfort or danger.
   • To be jammed, to be stuck (mechanically): Used to describe a mechanical object, like a lock or a key, that is stuck and cannot operate smoothly.

2. Noun:

   • Corner; angle; nook: A less common but valid meaning, referring to a secluded corner, a sharp angle, or a hidden recess.

Usage Examples

• Verb:

  • Anh ấy bị hóc xương cá. (He has a fish bone stuck in his throat.)
  • Cái khóa này bị hóc, không mở được. (This lock is jammed; it won't open.)

• Noun:

  • Đứa trẻ trốn trong hóc cây. (The child hid in the nook of the tree.)
  • Căn phòng có nhiều hóc tường kỳ lạ. (The room has many strange wall recesses.)

Advanced Usage

• "hóc búa" (adjective): Difficult, thorny, tricky. This is a compound word where "hóc" contributes to the sense of being "stuck" or entangled in a problem.

  • Đây là một vấn đề hóc búa. (This is a thorny problem.)

• "hóc hiểm" (adjective): Dangerous and treacherous (often describing a terrain or situation).

  • Con đường đèo rất hóc hiểm. (The mountain pass road is very treacherous.)

Variants and Related Words

• Hóc hẻm (noun): A deep, narrow alley; a secluded lane.

  • Họ sống trong một hóc hẻm nhỏ. (They live in a small, deep alley.)

• Hóc xương (verb phrase): To have a bone stuck in one's throat. This is a specific application of the verb.

  • Cẩn thận kẻo hóc xương. (Be careful not to get a bone stuck in your throat.)

Synonyms

• Verb (for stuck in throat): Mắc, nghẹn (to choke).
• Verb (for jammed): Kẹt, mắc.
• Noun (for corner): Góc, xó, ngách.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Bị hóc: To be/become stuck (in throat or mechanically). This is the passive construction commonly used.
  • Đứa bé bị hóc hạt nhãn. (The child got a longan seed stuck in his throat.)

Related Idioms

• Hóc như cua: (Literally: stuck like a crab) An idiom emphasizing something is very firmly stuck or jammed.

  • Cái máy này hóc như cua, sửa mãi không được. (This machine is hopelessly jammed; I've tried to fix it for a long time without success.)

• Chỗ hóc hiểm: A dangerous spot; a perilous place.

  • Tay đua phải vượt qua chỗ hóc hiểm trên đường đua. (The racer must pass the perilous spot on the track.)

noun

1. corner; angle

verb

1. to have stuck in one's throat