nhay
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To nibble: To bite gently and repeatedly with small, quick bites, often without breaking or consuming the object entirely. This is the most common usage, typically describing the action of a dog chewing on something soft.
- To saw / To cut ineffectively: To move a blade (like a knife or saw) back and forth repeatedly without cutting through the material cleanly or efficiently.
- To get a small share / To get a piece of (colloquial): To manage to obtain or benefit from a small portion of something, often money or profit, usually with difficulty or through indirect means.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Con chó đang nhay một mảnh vải cũ. (The dog is nibbling on an old piece of cloth.)
- Con dao cùn nhay mãi mà không cắt đứt được sợi dây. (The dull knife sawed back and forth but couldn't cut the rope.)
- Công ty có lợi nhuận lớn, nhưng nhân viên chỉ nhay được chút ít. (The company made a large profit, but the employees only got a small piece of it.)
Advanced Usage
- "nhay nhay": The reduplicated form emphasizes a continuous, repetitive, or prolonged nibbling or sawing action.
- Con mèo nhay nhay vào góc tấm chăn. (The cat kept nibbling at the corner of the blanket.)
Variants and Related Words
- Nhái (v): To mimic or imitate. (Note: This is a different word that may sound similar but has a distinct meaning).
- Gặm (v): To gnaw. This implies a more forceful, persistent chewing than "nhay."
Synonyms
- Nibble: To take small, gentle bites.
- Worry: (For dogs) to bite and tear at something.
- Saw: To cut with a back-and-forth motion.
Related Idioms
- Nhay như chó nhay giẻ: To nag or pester someone incessantly, similar to a dog persistently chewing on a rag.
- Anh ta cứ nhay tôi về chuyện đó như chó nhay giẻ. (He kept nagging me about that issue incessantly.)