Definition

1. Intransitive Verb:
   • To sprout, to bud: To begin to grow or emerge, typically referring to plants, ideas, or thoughts.
   • To bounce, to spring back: To rebound after hitting a surface. (Note: This meaning is often spelled as "nẩy" in modern usage, but "nảy" is also used historically or colloquially.)

Usage Examples

• Verb (to sprout):
  • Hạt đậu đã nảy mầm. (The bean seed has sprouted.)
  • Một ý tưởng tuyệt vời chợt nảy ra trong đầu anh ấy. (A great idea suddenly sprouted in his mind.)
• Verb (to bounce):
  • Quả bóng nảy lên cao. (The ball bounced up high.)

Advanced Usage

• "nảy lộc": to sprout new buds (often used figuratively for prosperity or new growth).
  • Cây cối đâm chồi nảy lộc vào mùa xuân. (Trees sprout new buds in spring.)
• "nảy sinh": to arise, to emerge (used for problems, conflicts, feelings).
  • Vấn đề mới đã nảy sinh. (A new problem has arisen.)
• "nảy nòi": (idiomatic) to be exceptionally talented or to come from a talented lineage (often used in a slightly humorous or critical way).
  • Đúng là con nhà nảy nòi. (Truly a child from a talented line / a chip off the old block.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nẩy (verb): A common modern spelling for the meaning "to bounce".
  • Nẩy người lên. (To spring/jump up.)
• Nảy nở (verb): to blossom, to develop fully (used for flowers, talents, or feelings).
  • Tài năng của cô ấy nảy nở. (Her talent blossomed.)
• Sự nảy mầm (noun): germination, the process of sprouting.
  • Sự nảy mầm của hạt giống. (The germination of the seed.)

Synonyms

• Mọc lên: to grow up.
• Đâm chồi: to bud, to shoot.
• Phát sinh: to arise, to generate.
• Nẩy lên: to bounce up.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Nảy ra: to pop up, to occur (to someone). Used specifically for thoughts or ideas appearing suddenly.
  • Tôi vừa nảy ra một kế hoạch. (A plan just popped into my head.)

Related Idioms

• "Cái sảy nảy cái ung": A small spark can start a great fire; a small problem can lead to a big disaster. (Literally: A tiny bounce leads to a festering sore.)
  • Phải giải quyết ngay, cái sảy nảy cái ung đấy. (We must solve it immediately, a small issue can blow up.)
• "Tát cho nảy đom đóm mắt": To slap someone so hard they "see stars" (fireflies/sparks).
  • Nó tức quá, định tát cho nảy đom đóm mắt. (He was so angry he wanted to slap him until he saw stars.)

verb

1. to bounce