Definition

1. Verb:
   • To spit: To force saliva or other liquid from your mouth.
   • To pull out / To extract / To uproot: To remove something by pulling it, especially when it is fixed, embedded, or rooted in something else.

Usage Examples

• Verb (to spit):
  • Cấm nhổ xuống sàn. (It is forbidden to spit on the floor.)
  • Hành động nhổ vào mặt người khác là cực kỳ xúc phạm. (The act of spitting in someone's face is extremely offensive.)
• Verb (to pull out):
  • Bác sĩ nha khoa sẽ nhổ chiếc răng sâu. (The dentist will pull out the decayed tooth.)
  • Chúng tôi phải nhổ hết cỏ dại trong vườn. (We have to pull out all the weeds in the garden.)
  • Anh ấy dùng kìm để nhổ cái đinh. (He used pliers to pull out the nail.)

Advanced Usage

• "nhổ neo": to weigh anchor (to pull up a ship's anchor).
  • Con tàu nhổ neo lúc bình minh. (The ship weighed anchor at dawn.)
• The concept of "nhổ" implies a forceful or complete removal. For plants, it often means removing the roots as well, not just cutting the top.

Variants and Related Words

• Nhổ bật (v): To yank out, to uproot completely.
  • Cơn bão nhổ bật nhiều cây cổ thụ. (The storm uprooted many ancient trees.)
• Nhổ sạch (v): To clear out by pulling/rooting out.
  • Nhổ sạch cỏ để trồng rau. (Clear out the weeds to grow vegetables.)

Synonyms

• To spit: to expectorate.
• To pull out: to extract, to uproot, to pluck out, to remove.
• To draw out: (used for nails, teeth).

Related Idioms

• Nhổ cỏ tận gốc / Nhổ cỏ cả rễ: To root out, to eliminate completely (literally: to pull up weeds by the roots). This is used for problems or negative elements.
  • Phải nhổ cỏ tận gốc tệ nạn tham nhũng. (We must root out the problem of corruption.)
• Nhổ nước bọt vào mặt: To spit in someone's face (a strong expression of contempt or insult).

1. Spit
   • Nhổ nước bọt
     To spit [saliva]
   • Nhổ vào mặt ai
     To spit in (someone's) face, to spit at (someone's)
2. Pull up, pull out, extract
   • Nhổ mạ
     To pull up rice seedlings
   • Nhổ lông
     To pull out a hair
   • Nhổ đinh
     To pull out (draw) a nail
   • Nhổ răng
     To pull out (extract) a tooth
   • Nhổ cỏ cả rễ
     To root up, to root out