Definition

1. Verb:
   • To whet; to sharpen: To make the edge of a tool or blade sharp by rubbing it against a hard, abrasive surface.
   • To grind; to polish: To wear down or smooth a surface by friction to make it smooth, precise, or to achieve a desired shape.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Anh ấy đang mài con dao. (He is sharpening the knife.)
  • Người thợ mài chiếc kính để vừa khung gọng. (The craftsman grinds the lens to fit the frame.)
  • Phải mài thanh sắt này cho nhẵn. (This iron bar needs to be polished smooth.)

Advanced Usage

• "mài mòn": to wear down through grinding or friction.
  • Bánh xe bị mài mòn sau chuyến đi dài. (The tire was worn down after the long trip.)
• "mài giũa": to hone or refine (often used figuratively for skills or character).
  • Cô ấy mài giũa kỹ năng viết qua nhiều năm. (She honed her writing skills over many years.)

Variants and Related Words

• Củ mài (n): A type of yam or tuber (shortened form of the plant name).
• Mài dũa (v): Similar to "mài giũa"; to polish, refine, or cultivate.
• Mài sắt (v): Literally "to grind iron"; part of the idiom below.

Synonyms

• Giũa: to file.
• Cạo: to scrape, to shave.
• Đánh bóng: to polish (for a shiny finish).

Related Idioms

• "Có công mài sắt, có ngày nên kim": Literally "Perseverance in grinding iron will one day make a needle." It means "Where there's a will, there's a way" or "Constant effort yields success."
  • Hãy nhớ câu 'có công mài sắt, có ngày nên kim' và đừng bỏ cuộc. (Remember the proverb 'perseverance will be rewarded' and don't give up.)

verb

1. to whet ; to sharpen
   • mài dao
     to sharpen a knife