Definition

1. Noun:
   • The top, peak, or summit of a physical object: Refers to the highest or terminal point of something, often something tall or vertical.
   • The tip or pointed end of an object: Refers to the sharp or tapered end of something.
   • The source or head of a flowing body of water: Refers to the origin point of a river or stream.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Chim đậu trên ngọn cây. (A bird perched on the top of the tree.)
  • Ngọn núi này rất cao. (The peak of this mountain is very high.)
  • Anh ấy viết bằng ngọn bút chì. (He writes with the tip of the pencil.)
  • Chúng tôi đi thuyền từ ngọn sông. (We boated from the source of the river.)

Advanced Usage

• "Ngọn nguồn": The very origin or root cause of something.
  • Phải tìm hiểu cho ra ngọn nguồn của vấn đề. (We must find out the root cause of the problem.)
• "Ngọn lửa": A flame or a fire (conceptualizing fire as having a pointed top).
  • Ngọn lửa yêu nước cháy trong tim. (The flame of patriotism burns in the heart.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngọn ngành (n): A compound word meaning the branches and tops (of a tree); used figuratively to mean all the details, the whole story.
  • Kể cho tôi nghe ngọn ngành câu chuyện. (Tell me the whole story.)
• Cây ngọn (n): The main shoot or terminal bud of a plant.
• Có ngọn có ngành (idiomatic phrase): To be detailed and thorough, covering all aspects.

Synonyms

• Đỉnh: Peak, summit (specifically for mountains or high points).
• Chóp: Apex, very top.
• Đầu: Head, end (can be used for some contexts like 'đầu bút' for pen tip).
• Nguồn: Source, origin (for rivers).

Related Phrases

• Lên đến tận ngọn: To go all the way to the very top.
  • Leo lên đến tận ngọn núi. (Climb all the way to the very peak of the mountain.)
• Từ ngọn đến gốc: From top to bottom, thoroughly.
  • Kiểm tra từ ngọn đến gốc. (Inspect thoroughly / from top to bottom.)

Related Idioms

• Biết ngọn biết ngành: To know something inside out, to know all the details.
  • Ông ấy biết ngọn biết ngành chuyện này. (He knows this matter inside out.)
• Ngọn ra ngọn, ngành ra ngành: Everything is in perfect order, each thing in its proper place.
  • Công việc phải sắp xếp cho ngọn ra ngọn, ngành ra ngành. (Work must be arranged so everything is in perfect order.)

adj

1. top; peak; summit
   • ngọn cây
     top of tree