Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Busy; occupied; engaged: Describes a state of being involved in an activity or having many tasks, leaving little free time.
   • Expensive; costly: Describes something that has a high price or requires a significant amount of money.

2. Verb:

   • To hang; to suspend: To attach something so it is supported from above, often on a hook, line, or similar object.
   • To get caught; to become entangled: To become physically trapped, snagged, or stuck in something.
   • To contract; to catch (an illness): To become infected with or afflicted by a disease or condition.
   • To commit; to be guilty of (a mistake, sin, crime): To perform or be responsible for a negative action.
   • To owe (a debt): To be under an obligation to pay or repay something, typically money.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Tôi rất mắc, không thể gặp bạn ngay bây giờ. (I am very busy and cannot meet you right now.)
  • Chiếc điện thoại này quá mắc. (This phone is too expensive.)

• Verb:

  • Cô ấy mắc áo lên móc. (She hung the shirt on the hook.)
  • Con cá mắc vào lưới. (The fish got caught in the net.)
  • Anh ấy mắc bệnh cúm. (He caught the flu.)
  • Đứa trẻ mắc một lỗi nhỏ. (The child committed a small mistake.)
  • Tôi mắc anh ấy 50,000 đồng. (I owe him 50,000 dong.)

Advanced Usage

• "mắc nợ": to be in debt.

  • Công ty đang mắc nợ rất nhiều. (The company is deeply in debt.)

• "mắc kẹt": to be stuck (physically or in a situation).

  • Chiếc xe bị mắc kẹt trong bùn. (The car was stuck in the mud.)

Variants and Related Words

• Mắc cửi (n): The warp (in weaving); the set of lengthwise threads on a loom.

  • Công việc mắc cửi rất tỉ mỉ. (The work of setting up the warp is very meticulous.)

• Mắc áo (n): A clothes hanger.

  • Hãy lấy quần áo từ mắc áo. (Please get the clothes from the hanger.)

Synonyms

• Busy: occupied, engaged.
• Expensive: costly, pricey.
• To hang: to suspend, to hook.
• To catch: to contract (a disease).
• To owe: to be indebted.

Related Idioms

• Mắc mưa: to get caught in the rain.

  • Trên đường về, chúng tôi bị mắc mưa. (On the way home, we got caught in the rain.)

• Mắc lừa: to be deceived/tricked.

  • Nhiều người đã mắc lừa của kẻ lừa đảo. (Many people were tricked by the scammer.)

• Mắc công: to be troublesome; to require effort (often used to express gratitude for someone's trouble).

  • Cảm ơn, để bạn phải mắc công quá. (Thank you, sorry for putting you to so much trouble.)

adj

1. busy; occupied; engaged
   • cô ta mắc nói chuyện
     She was engaged in conversation

verb

1. to suspend; to hang up; to sling