Definitions

1. Noun:

   • A slice, round, or ring: A piece of something, typically cylindrical or round in shape, that has been cut crosswise. Often refers to food items like bread, sausage, or vegetables.
   • A coil, loop, or ring: Something long and flexible, like rope or wire, that is wound into a circular shape.

2. Verb:

   • To coil, to curl, to wind into a circle: To form something long into a circular or spiral shape.
   • To circle, to encircle, to demarcate: To draw a circle around something or to mark a boundary to define an area.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Mẹ cắt một khoanh dưa hấu. (Mother cut a slice of watermelon.)
  • Anh ấy cuộn sợi dây thành một khoanh. (He wound the rope into a coil.)
  • Tôi ăn hai khoanh bánh mì. (I ate two slices of bread.)

• Verb:

  • Con rắn khoanh mình lại trên cành cây. (The snake coiled itself on the tree branch.)
  • Cô giáo khoanh tròn đáp án đúng. (The teacher circled the correct answer.)
  • Chính quyền khoanh vùng cách ly. (The authorities demarcated the quarantine zone.)

Advanced Usage

• "Khoanh vùng": To zone, to demarcate an area. This is a common compound verb used in administrative, scientific, or planning contexts.

  • Các nhà khoa học đang khoanh vùng nghiên cứu. (Scientists are demarcating the research area.)

• "Khoanh tay": Literally "to coil/place one's arms." It is an idiom meaning to stand by idly, to not take action, or to fold one's arms (in a gesture of waiting, observing, or refusing to help).

  • Anh ta chỉ biết khoanh tay đứng nhìn. (He just stood there with folded arms / idly watching.)

Variants and Related Words

• Khoanh lại (verb phrase): To circle something, to wind something up.
• Vòng khoanh (noun, less common): A coiled loop.
• Khoang (noun - a different but phonetically similar word): Compartment, cabin (e.g., - airplane cabin).

Synonyms

• Noun (slice): Lát, miếng.
• Noun (coil): Vòng, cuộn.
• Verb (to coil): Cuộn, quấn.
• Verb (to circle): Khoanh tròn, vẽ vòng quanh.

Related Phrases (Collocations)

• Khoanh bánh mì: A slice of bread.
• Khoanh giò/chả: A slice of Vietnamese pork roll/ sausage.
• Khoanh tay chờ đợi: To wait with folded arms (implies waiting without proactive action).
• Khoanh vùng dịch bệnh: To cordon off a disease outbreak area.

Related Idioms

• "Khoanh tay đứng nhìn": To stand by and watch (with folded arms); to be a passive bystander.
  • Chúng ta không thể khoanh tay đứng nhìn trước nỗi đau của đồng bào. (We cannot stand by and do nothing in the face of our compatriots' suffering.)

noun

1. slice
   • khoanh bánh mì
     a slice of bread

verb

1. to coil; to curl