Definition

1. Noun:

   • Threshing tool: A traditional agricultural implement made of two bamboo or wooden sticks connected by a rope or cord, used to thresh rice by gripping and beating the stalks.
   • Tightening stick/windlass: A stick or lever (often made of bamboo or wood) used to twist and tighten a cord or rope, commonly used to secure loads or tension saw blades.

2. Verb:

   • To tighten with a lever: The action of twisting a cord or rope using a stick (the néo) to apply tension and make it tight.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Người nông dân dùng cái néo để đập lúa. (The farmer uses the néo to thresh rice.)
  • Anh ấy dùng một thanh néo để siết chặt dây buộc. (He used a tightening stick to fasten the binding cord.)

• Verb:

  • Hãy néo sợi dây này lại cho chắc. (Tighten this rope with a stick so it's secure.)
  • Cần phải néo cưa cho thẳng. (The saw blade needs to be tightened with a windlass.)

Advanced Usage

• "Già néo đứt dây": A Vietnamese idiom. Literally "Too tight a breaks the rope." It means that excessive pressure or force can lead to failure, similar to "The last straw that breaks the camel's back" or advising against overdoing something.
  • Đừng có ép việc quá, già néo đứt dây đấy. (Don't push it too hard; too much tension will break the rope.)

Variants and Related Words

• Néo cưa: Specifically refers to the windlass or tightening stick used for a saw blade.
  • Thanh néo cưa bị gãy. (The saw's tightening stick is broken.)

Synonyms

• Cái đập lúa (n): Threshing tool. (A more general term for a rice flail).
• Cái bừa (n): Harrow. (A different agricultural tool for tilling soil).
• Cái cùm (n): Shackle/clamp. (For restraining or holding tight, but not for twisting).

Related Phrases

• Vặn néo: To twist/tighten using a . This is a verb phrase describing the specific action.
  • Phải vặn néo cho thật chặt. (You must twist the windlass until it's very tight.)

Related Idioms

• Già néo đứt dây: As explained above, this is the primary idiom associated with the word. It conveys a lesson about moderation and the risks of excessive force or demand.

1. [Rice] threshing bamboo pincers
2. Cord tightening stick
3. Tighten with a tightenting stick
   • Già néo đứt dây, xem già