Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Skillful with one's hands; dexterous: Describes a person who is adept at making, creating, or repairing things manually, often with precision and artistry.
   • Handy; crafty: Refers to having practical skill in manual tasks, such as sewing, carving, knitting, or drawing.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Chị ấy rất khéo tay, có thể tự may cả váy cưới. (She is very skillful with her hands; she can even sew her own wedding dress.)
  • Để làm được đồ thủ công tinh xảo như vậy, bạn phải thật khéo tay. (To make such delicate handicrafts, you must be very dexterous.)
  • Anh thợ mộc khéo tay đã đóng chiếc tủ gỗ này. (The handy carpenter built this wooden cabinet.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase can be used to compliment someone's manual abilities in a specific context.
  • Khéo tay quá! (How skillful!)
• It can describe a natural talent or a developed skill.

Variants and Related Words

• Khéo léo (adj): skillful, deft, adroit (a more general term for skillfulness, not limited to manual tasks).
  • Cô ấy xử lý tình huống rất khéo léo. (She handled the situation very deftly.)
• Khéo chân khéo tay (idiomatic phrase): skillful with both feet and hands; generally agile and adept at physical tasks.

Synonyms

• Dexterous: Skillful in using the hands.
• Handy: Skillful with the hands; practically skilled.
• Adroit: Clever or skillful in using the hands or mind.
• Nimble-fingered: Having quick, light, skillful movements of the fingers.

Related Idioms

• Khéo tay hay làm: A phrase praising someone who is not only skillful ("khéo tay") but also industrious ("hay làm").
  • Cô ấy đúng là khéo tay hay làm, vừa nấu ăn ngon vừa may vá giỏi. (She is truly skillful and hardworking, both a good cook and a skilled seamstress.)

1. Be skilful with one's hands, be light-fingered, be dextrous.
2. (Khéo chân khéo tay) như khéo tay