Definition

1. Noun:
   • A cluster or clump of plants: "khóm" refers to a group of plants, trees, or bamboo growing closely together in a dense formation.
   • A small cluster or group of houses: In some contexts, "khóm" can refer to a small residential cluster or hamlet consisting of a few houses grouped together.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Cluster of plants):

  • Trước nhà có một khóm hoa hồng rất đẹp. (There is a very beautiful cluster of rose bushes in front of the house.)
  • Chim ẩn mình trong khóm tre. (The bird hides itself in the clump of bamboo.)

• Noun (Group of houses):

  • Gia đình tôi sống trong một khóm nhỏ ven sông. (My family lives in a small cluster of houses by the river.)
  • Anh ấy đến khóm bên kia đồi để tìm người thợ mộc. (He went to the hamlet on the other side of the hill to find the carpenter.)

Advanced Usage

• "Khóm" in literature and poetry: The word is often used in Vietnamese poetry and classical literature to evoke imagery of nature and rural life.
  • "Ngày vắng, chim kêu cuối khóm hoa." (On quiet days, birds sing from the end of the flower cluster.) - A line from poet Nguyễn Trãi.

Variants and Related Words

• Cụm (noun): A more general term for a cluster, group, or phrase. It can be used for plants, words, or abstract concepts.
  • cụm từ (phrase), cụm cây (cluster of trees)
• Bụi (noun): A bush, thicket, or clump (often implying wild, tangled growth).
  • bụi rậm (dense thicket)
• Mảng (noun): A patch, section, or area.
  • mảng vườn (a patch of garden)

Synonyms

• Cụm: cluster, group.
• Bụi: bush, thicket.
• Nhóm: group (more general, not specific to plants or houses).

Notes on Different Meanings

• Regional Variation: In some southern dialects of Vietnamese, "khóm" is a common word for pineapple (trái khóm). However, in the standard language and in the northern/central regions, "dứa" or "thơm" are more common for the fruit. The primary meanings explained here are "cluster" and "small hamlet".
• Context is Key: The meaning is determined by context. "Khóm hoa" clearly means a flower cluster, while "vào trong khóm" (enter the hamlet) refers to a residential area.

noun

1. cluster; clump