Definition

Noun: 1. Candy; sweet; sweetmeat: A small piece of food, primarily made from sugar, syrup, or honey, often combined with flavorings, fruits, nuts, or other ingredients, and shaped into pieces, bars, or other forms. It is intended as a sweet treat or snack.

Usage Examples

• :
  • Mẹ mua cho tôi một gói kẹo. (My mother bought me a pack of candy.)
  • Trong túi của nó lúc nào cũng có kẹo. (He always has sweets in his pocket.)
  • Cửa hàng này bán rất nhiều loại kẹo. (This shop sells many types of sweetmeats.)

Advanced Usage

• "Kẹo" can be used metaphorically to describe something very pleasant, easy, or attractive, similar to "a piece of cake" in English, though this is less common.
  • Công việc đó là kẹo với anh ta. (That job is a piece of cake for him.)
• The word is often part of compound nouns specifying the type of candy, which are listed separately below.

Variants and Related Words

• Kẹo bạc hà (n): Peppermint candy; mint.
• Kẹo cao su (n): Chewing gum.
• Kẹo dẻo (n): Gummy candy; jelly.
• Kẹo mút (n): Lollipop; sucker.
• Kẹo kéo (n): Hand-pulled candy (a traditional type).
• Kẹo bột (n): Candy powder (like sherbet).
• Lọ kẹo (n): Candy jar; bonbonnière.

Synonyms

• Bánh ngọt (n): Cake; pastry (broader term for sweet baked goods).
• Đồ ngọt (n): Sweets; sweet things (general term for sweet food).

Related Phrases (Compound Constructions)

• Cây kẹo (n): Candy cane.
• Gói kẹo (n): Pack of candy.
• Cửa hàng kẹo (n): Candy store; sweet shop.
• Ăn kẹo (v): To eat candy.

Related Idioms

• Ngọt như kẹo: As sweet as candy. Used to describe something very sweet in taste or a very sweet, charming person.
  • Giọng nói của cô ấy ngọt như kẹo. (Her voice is as sweet as candy.)
• Cho kẹo để dỗ: To give candy to coax/comfort (a child). Implies using a reward or bribe to get someone, especially a child, to comply.
  • Đứa bé khóc, bà phải cho kẹo để dỗ. (The child was crying, so the grandmother had to give him candy to comfort him.)

noun

1. candy; sweet; sweetmeat