Definition

1. Intransitive Verb:
   • To become close friends; to form a close friendship: Refers to the process of two or more people developing a deep, friendly bond.
   • To form an alliance; to ally: Refers to the act of establishing a formal or informal friendly connection between groups, families, or entities.

Usage Examples

• Intransitive Verb:
  • Họ kết thân với nhau từ thời sinh viên. (They became close friends during their university years.)
  • Hai công ty đã kết thân để cùng phát triển thị trường. (The two companies allied to develop the market together.)
  • Sau chuyến đi, tôi và cô ấy đã kết thân. (After the trip, she and I became close friends.)

Advanced Usage

• "kết thân với ai": to become close friends with someone; to ally with someone.
  • Nước nhỏ thường phải kết thân với nước lớn để được bảo vệ. (A small country often has to ally with a major power for protection.)

Variants and Related Words

• Kết bạn (v): To make friends (generally, a less deep bond than "kết thân").
• Kết giao (v): To befriend, to establish a social connection (can be formal or informal).
• Kết nghĩa (v): To form a sworn brotherhood/sisterhood or a bond of loyalty (often deeper and more ceremonial than "kết thân").

Synonyms

• Thân thiết (adj): Close, intimate (describes the state of being close).
• Đồng minh (v/n): To ally; an ally (often used in political/military contexts).
• Kết liên minh (v): To form an alliance (more formal and specific to unions between groups).

Related Idioms

• "Kết tóc xe tơ": An idiom meaning to get married, literally "to tie hair and twist silk." While related to forming a deep bond, it is specific to marriage and not a direct synonym for "kết thân."

1. Unite by marriage, ally
   • Hai nhà kết thân từ lâu
     The two families have been allied for years