Definition

1. Verb:

   • To chip in / to contribute a small share: To add a small amount of money to a collective sum, often for a shared purchase, bet, or activity initiated by someone else.
   • To join in / to squeeze in: To participate in or use something alongside others, especially when not being the primary participant or host, such as sharing a meal or a ride.

2. Noun (dialectal):

   • Elderly person: A term used in mountainous regions to refer to an old man or woman.
   • A type of plant: A small plant with sticky, prickly fruit, used as a diuretic in traditional medicine.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Tôi chỉ đủ tiền để ké vào một phần nhỏ. (I only had enough money to chip in for a small share.)
  • Xe anh ấy đi, tôi ké theo được không? (You're driving; can I squeeze in for a lift?)
  • Chúng tôi gọi món, cậu bé muốn ké ăn chung. (We ordered food, and the boy wanted to join in and share.)

Advanced Usage

• "ngồi ké": To sit by squeezing in; to take a small seat next to someone.

  • Phòng họp đông, tôi phải ngồi ké vào một góc. (The meeting room was crowded, so I had to squeeze into a corner to sit.)

• "đánh ké": To gamble by contributing a side bet to someone else's main stake.

  • Hắn không có nhiều vốn, chỉ dám đánh ké vào ván bài của người khác. (He didn't have much capital, only daring to place a side bet on someone else's card game.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ăn ké (v): To join in for a meal without being the host; to mooch a meal.

  • Hôm nay tôi ăn ké bữa trưa của đồng nghiệp. (Today I mooched lunch from my colleague.)

• Đi ké xe (v): To get a ride by squeezing into someone else's vehicle.

  • Đường xa, tôi thường đi ké xe của hàng xóm. (The road is far, so I often get a ride by squeezing into my neighbor's car.)

Synonyms

• Chip in: To contribute money.
• Join in: To participate.
• Mooch: To get something by relying on someone else's generosity (informal).

Related Idioms

• Ké cặp: To tag along closely with someone, often uninvited.

  • Đứa bé cứ ké cặp theo anh trai suốt ngày. (The child just tags along with his older brother all day.)

• Ké vai: To lean on someone's shoulder, literally or figuratively for support.

  • Cô ấy mệt quá, phải ké vai vào bạn để đứng dậy. (She was so tired she had to lean on her friend's shoulder to stand up.)

verb

1. to contribute money toward a small share to squeere in
   • đi ké xe
     to squeere in for a lift