Definition

1. Verb:

   • To wear (down/away): To gradually become thinner, smaller, or less effective due to friction, use, or erosion.
   • To wear out: To become exhausted or depleted, often from overuse or prolonged effort.
   • To diminish gradually: To decrease slowly over time, such as resources or patience.

2. Adjective:

   • Worn (out): Describing something that has been reduced or damaged by use or friction.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Giầy của tôi mòn rồi. (My shoes are worn out.)
  • Lốp xe đã mòn và cần thay. (The tire has worn down and needs replacing.)
  • Tiền để dành cứ mòn dần. (The savings gradually diminished.)
• Adjective:
  • Mua một đôi giày mòn. (To buy a pair of worn shoes.)

Advanced Usage

• "mòn sức": to wear oneself out, to become physically or mentally exhausted.

  • Làm việc quá nhiều sẽ khiến bạn mòn sức. (Working too much will wear you out.)

• "mòn mỏi": to wear down (emotionally), to languish in prolonged waiting or longing.

  • Cô ấy mòn mỏi chờ tin. (She waited wearily for news.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bào mòn (v): to erode, to wear away (often used for geological or abstract concepts).

  • Sóng biển bào mòn bờ đá. (Sea waves erode the rocky shore.)

• Hao mòn (v/n): to deplete, to wear out; depreciation (in economics).

  • Hao mòn thiết bị là điều tự nhiên. (Equipment depreciation is natural.)

Synonyms

• Erode: to wear away gradually.
• Diminish: to become less.
• Deteriorate: to become progressively worse.

Related Idioms

• Nước chảy đá mòn: Literally "Constant dripping wears away the stone." Means perseverance leads to success.

  • Hãy kiên nhẫn, nước chảy đá mòn mà. (Be patient, constant effort brings results.)

• Chờ mòn con mắt: To wait until one's eyes are worn out; to wait in vain for a very long time.

  • Tôi chờ mòn con mắt mà anh ấy vẫn chưa đến. (I waited and waited, but he still didn't come.)

verb

1. to wear
   • giầy của tôi mòn rồi
     My shoes are worn out
   • mòn sức
     to wear oneself out