Definition

1. Verb:
   • To unmoor: To remove a pole (sào) that is used to secure a boat to the shore or riverbank, preparing the boat to depart.
   • To set off / To depart (by boat): The act of beginning a boat journey by pulling up the mooring pole.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Thuyền nhổ sào lúc bình minh. (The boat unmoored at dawn.)
  • Sau khi nhổ sào, con thuyền nhẹ nhàng trôi theo dòng nước. (After unmooring, the boat drifted gently with the current.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase "nhổ sào" is specific to traditional, small-to-medium-sized riverine and coastal watercraft in Vietnam, where a bamboo or wooden pole is a primary tool for mooring and propulsion. It evokes imagery of starting a journey.

Variants and Related Words

• Nhổ neo (v): To weigh anchor. This is the equivalent term for larger ships that use an anchor (neo) instead of a pole.
  • Tàu du lịch nhổ neo rời cảng. (The cruise ship weighed anchor and left the port.)

Synonyms

• Unmoor: To release a boat from its moorings.
• Cast off: To set a boat free to begin sailing.
• Set sail: To begin a voyage (though this implies using sails).

Related Idioms

• Nhổ sào ra khơi: To unmoor and head out to the open sea. This idiom emphasizes embarking on a longer, more adventurous journey.
  • Ngư dân nhổ sào ra khơi đánh cá. (The fishermen unmoored and headed out to sea to fish.)

1. Unmoor
   • Thuyền nhổ sào
     The boat was unmoored