mổ cò

Thân thiện

Một người đánh máy chữ bằng cách mổ cò trên bàn phím cũ.

Definition

Verb (colloquial): - To type very slowly, typically using only one or two fingers (usually the index fingers), in a pecking manner reminiscent of a bird pecking at food. The term humorously or critically describes inefficient typing skills.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Anh ấy không biết gõ phím mười ngón, chỉ biết mổ cò thôi. (He doesn't know touch typing; he only knows how to type with two fingers.)
  • Cô ấy mổ cò từng chữ một nên viết email rất lâu. (She pecks at each letter, so writing an email takes a very long time.)
  • Đừng mổ cò nữa, hãy học cách gõ phím đúng đi. (Stop hunting and pecking; learn to type properly.)

Advanced Usage Notes

• The term "mổ cò" is inherently colloquial and often carries a slightly negative or humorous connotation, implying a lack of typing skill or speed. It is not used in formal writing.
• The imagery comes from comparing the slow, deliberate finger movements to a bird (a "cò" - heron/egret) pecking ("mổ") at the ground.

Variants and Related Words

• Gõ phím (verb): A neutral term meaning "to type" or "to press keys."
• Đánh máy (verb): A common term meaning "to type" (on a typewriter or keyboard).

Synonyms

• Pianoter (French loanword, used in Vietnamese in similar contexts): To type slowly or tentatively with a few fingers.
• Gõ từng chữ một (verb phrase): To type one letter at a time.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Mổ cò từng chữ: To peck at each letter (emphasizing the slowness).
• Kiểu mổ cò: The "hunt-and-peck" typing style.

Related Idioms

• While "mổ cò" itself is a vivid idiomatic expression, there are no direct equivalent common idioms. Its meaning is self-contained within the phrase.

Học thuật

1. (thông tục) Type very slowly with two fingers