Definition

1. Noun:

   • Needle: A thin, pointed piece of metal (or sometimes bone, plastic) with a hole (the eye) at one end for passing thread, used for sewing or embroidery.
   • Hand (of a clock or watch): A thin, pointed piece of metal that moves around a dial to indicate time. The specific type is often modified (e.g., hour hand, minute hand).
   • Stylus; Probe: Any slender, pointed instrument resembling a needle, such as a hypodermic needle (kim tiêm), a compass needle, or a stylus for a record player.
   • Modern; Present: Referring to the contemporary era, as opposed to the ancient or past (cổ). Often used in the compound "kim cổ" (modern and ancient).

2. Adjective:

   • (Of a voice) High-pitched and clear: Describing a vocal quality that is sharp, bright, and penetrating, often used in singing.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Needle):
  • Cô ấy xâu chỉ vào kim. (She threaded the needle.)
  • Có công mài sắt, có ngày nên kim. (With perseverance, an iron rod can be sharpened into a needle. / Where there's a will, there's a way.)
• Noun (Clock Hand):
  • Kim chỉ giờ đang chỉ số 3. (The hour hand is pointing to 3.)
• Noun (Modern):
  • Anh ấy nghiên cứu văn hóa từ cổ chí kim. (He studies culture from ancient to modern times.)
• Adjective (Voice):
  • Giọng hát của cô ấy thuộc loại giọng kim. (Her singing voice is a high-pitched, clear voice.)

Advanced Usage

• "kim chỉ nam": Literally "south-pointing needle" (compass). Figuratively, a guiding principle, a lodestar.
  • Lời dạy của ông ấy là kim chỉ nam cho cuộc đời tôi. (His teachings are the guiding principle for my life.)
• "kim cương": Diamond. (A compound word where "kim" implies a hard, precious material).
• "kim loại": Metal. (A compound word where "kim" refers to metallic substances).

Variants and Related Words

• Kim tiêm (n): Hypodermic needle, syringe.
  • Y tá dùng kim tiêm để tiêm thuốc. (The nurse used a syringe to inject medicine.)
• Kim đồng hồ (n): Clock/watch hand.
• Kim khí (n): Metal, metallic material. (Synonym of "kim loại").
• Cổ kim (n): Ancient and modern times.

Synonyms

• Needle: sewing needle, pin (for a more general pointed object).
• Hand: pointer, indicator (for a clock).
• Modern: contemporary, present-day.
• High-pitched: sharp, piercing, clear (for voice).

Related Idioms

• Có công mài sắt, có ngày nên kim: Literally "With effort to grind iron, one day it will become a needle." Meaning: Persistence and hard work can overcome great difficulties.
• Mũi kim sợi chỉ: Literally "the point of a needle, a strand of thread." Refers to very small, meticulous details or household sewing tasks.

noun

1. needle; hand
   • kim chỉ giờ
     Hour-hand
2. Metal
   • kỹ nghệ luyện kim
     the metal industries