Definition

1. Noun:

   • Shelf, rack: A piece of furniture, often with multiple horizontal levels, used for storing or displaying items such as books, dishes, or decorative objects.
   • Buddhist verse, gatha: A type of verse, often in a poetic or rhythmic form, used to explain or comment on a passage of Buddhist scripture; or a verse left behind by a deceased monk.

2. Verb:

   • To ignore, to let be, to not care about: To leave someone or something alone, to not interfere or pay attention to a situation or person's actions. It expresses an attitude of indifference or acceptance.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Shelf):

  • Hãy đặt những cuốn sách mới lên kệ. (Please put the new books on the shelf.)
  • Cô ấy có một chiếc kệ đẹp để trưng bày đồ gốm. (She has a beautiful rack for displaying ceramics.)

• Noun (Buddhist verse):

  • Các nhà sư tụng kệ trong buổi lễ. (The monks chanted the verses during the ceremony.)

• Verb (To ignore/let be):

  • Cứ kệ nó đi, anh ấy sẽ tự hiểu thôi. (Just ignore him, he'll understand on his own.)
  • "Kệ tôi!" cô ấy nói khi tôi cố gắng giúp đỡ. ("Leave me alone!" she said when I tried to help.)

Advanced Usage

• "Kệ đi" / "Kệ nó đi": A common, informal phrase meaning "Forget it," "Let it be," or "Don't worry about it." It expresses dismissal or a decision to stop caring about an issue.

  • Anh ấy không muốn nghe lời khuyên à? Thôi, kệ đi. (He doesn't want to listen to advice? Fine, forget it.)

• "Kệ xác": A more emphatic and vulgar slang variant meaning "to hell with it/them," expressing strong indifference or defiance.

  • Nó muốn làm gì thì làm, kệ xác nó! (Let him do whatever he wants, to hell with him!)

Variants and Related Words

• Kệ sách (n): Bookshelf. A compound word specifying a shelf for books.

  • Tôi cần mua một chiếc kệ sách mới. (I need to buy a new bookshelf.)

• Kệ bếp (n): Kitchen rack, shelf.

• Kệ tivi (n): TV stand, entertainment center.
• Kệ giày (n): Shoe rack.

Synonyms

• Noun (Shelf): Giá (rack, stand), tủ (cabinet - though this implies doors).
• Verb (To ignore): Mặc kệ (to let be, to ignore - a stronger synonym), bỏ mặc (to abandon, to leave to one's fate), không quan tâm (to not care).

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Mặc kệ: A more formal or emphatic version of the verb "kệ," meaning to disregard completely or to let someone/something be despite potential consequences.
  • Cô ấy mặc kệ lời cảnh báo và vẫn tiếp tục lái xe. (She disregarded the warning and continued driving.)

Related Idioms

• Kệ thây: Similar to "kệ xác," an idiom expressing strong indifference, meaning "let the corpse be" or "to hell with it."
  • Nó có nghe hay không thì kệ thây nó! (Whether he listens or not, to hell with him!)

noun

1. shelf
   • kệ sách
     book-shelf