Definition

1. Noun:

   • A person, individual, or character: Used to refer to a person, often with a negative, contemptuous, or neutral descriptive connotation. It implies a certain type or kind of person.
   • A person (archaic/poetic): In classical literature, used to refer to a person from a specific place or group.

2. Verb:

   • To draw a line; to rule: The action of making straight lines, often on paper, using a tool like a ruler or pen.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Hắn là một kẻ xấu. (He is a bad person.)
  • Kẻ nào làm việc đó? (Who is the person who did that?)
  • Trong truyện có nhiều kẻ tốt người xấu. (In the story, there are many good and bad characters.)

• Verb:

  • Cô ấy kẻ một đường thẳng trên giấy. (She draws a straight line on the paper.)
  • Trước khi viết, em phải kẻ giấy. (Before writing, you must rule the paper.)

Advanced Usage

• "kẻ" as a noun in fixed phrases: Often used in contrastive or collective pairs to describe people in society.

  • kẻ ăn người ở (servants; masters and servants)
  • kẻ cắp (thief)
  • kẻ thù (enemy)
  • kẻ mạnh người yếu (the strong and the weak)

• "kẻ" in classical/poetic context: Used to denote a person from a specific locality.

  • kẻ chợ (townsfolk; people of the market town)
  • thân phận kẻ tha hương (the status of a wanderer/far-from-home person)

Variants and Related Words

• Kẻ vẽ (v): To draw lines and shapes; to draft.

  • Anh ấy kẻ vẽ bản đồ rất cẩn thận. (He drafts the map very carefully.)

• Kẻ ô (v): To draw squares or a grid.

  • Giấy kẻ ô rất tiện cho việc vẽ biểu đồ. (Graph paper is very convenient for drawing charts.)

Synonyms

• Noun:
  • Người: Person, individual (more neutral).
  • Tên: Guy, fellow (often derogatory).
  • Đứa: (Used for children or contemptuously) kid, brat.
• Verb:
  • Vạch: To draw a line, to outline.
  • Kéo (một đường): To draw (a line).

Related Phrases (Idiomatic/Collocational)

• Kẻ cả: To act superior; to put on airs.
  • Anh ta không nên kẻ cả với đồng nghiệp. (He shouldn't act superior with his colleagues.)
• Kẻ mặt: To line/apply eyeliner (archaic/poetic).
  • Thiếu nữ kẻ mặt cho đôi mắt thêm sắc. (The maiden lines her eyes to make them more striking.)

Notes on Usage

• As a noun, "kẻ" is often pejorative but not always. Its connotation depends heavily on the descriptive adjective or context that follows it (e.g., - a good person, - a bad person).
• The verb "kẻ" is specific to the act of drawing straight, precise lines, typically for preparation or design purposes.

verb

1. to line; to draw

noun

1. man; person; individual