Definition

1. Verb (transitive):
   • To cut off the electricity/power; to disconnect the power; to switch off (the power). This refers to the action of stopping the flow of electrical current to a device, circuit, or area, often for safety, maintenance, or as a penalty.
   • To trip (a circuit breaker). This describes the automatic action of a safety device (like a circuit breaker) stopping the electrical flow due to a fault, such as an overload or short circuit.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Trước khi sửa chữa, anh ấy đã ngắt điện toàn bộ hệ thống. (Before repairing, he cut off the power to the entire system.)
  • Công ty điện lực sẽ ngắt điện khu vực này vào sáng mai để bảo trì. (The power company will disconnect the power in this area tomorrow morning for maintenance.)
  • Máy sấy tóc công suất cao có thể làm ngắt điện cầu dao.* (The high-wattage hair dryer can **trip the circuit breaker.)

Advanced Usage

• "bị ngắt điện": to have a power cut/outage; to be disconnected (from the power supply).
  • Cả tòa nhà bị ngắt điện do sự cố đường dây. (The entire building had a power outage due to a line fault.)
• "ngắt điện đột ngột": a sudden power cut/disconnection.
  • Cơn bão gây ra ngắt điện đột ngột trên diện rộng. (The storm caused a sudden, widespread power cut.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cái ngắt điện / Bộ ngắt điện (Noun): An interrupter; a switch; a circuit breaker. This is the device that performs the action of cutting the electrical circuit.
  • Anh kiểm tra cái ngắt điện trong tủ điện xem có bị hỏng không. (He checked the circuit breaker in the electrical cabinet to see if it was broken.)
• Cắt điện (Verb): A very common synonym meaning "to cut off the power". It is often used interchangeably with "ngắt điện".
• Mất điện (Verb phrase): To lose power; to have a blackout/power failure. This focuses on the state of having no electricity, which can be caused by "ngắt điện".

Synonyms

• Cắt điện: to cut off the power.
• Tắt nguồn (điện): to turn off the power (source). This is more general and can apply to batteries or main switches.
• Ngắt nguồn: to disconnect the power source.

Related Phrases

• Ngắt kết nối (Verb phrase): to disconnect. While this can be used for electricity, it is more general and commonly used for internet, communication lines, or abstract connections.
• Tự động ngắt (Verb phrase): to auto-cut/auto-trip. Describes a safety mechanism that disconnects automatically.

1. Interrupter