Definition

1. Verb:
   • To blockade: To seal off an area, especially a port, city, or region, using military or authoritative force to prevent people, goods, or supplies from entering or leaving.
   • To seal (medical): In a medical context, a less common usage referring to the act of sealing or blocking, such as in a nerve block (blocage).

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Phong bế các cửa biển. (To blockade all seaports.)
  • Thành phố bị phong bế hoàn toàn. (The city was completely blockaded.)
  • Lực lượng nổi dậy tìm cách phong bế thủ đô. (The rebel forces sought to blockade the capital.)

Advanced Usage

• This term is marked as somewhat literary or formal () and is most frequently encountered in historical, military, or strategic contexts.
• The concept extends beyond physical barriers to include economic and informational isolation.

Variants and Related Words

• Phong tỏa (v): To blockade, to impose a blockade. This is a more common synonym in modern usage.
  • Chính phủ quyết định phong tỏa khu vực dịch bệnh. (The government decided to blockade the epidemic area.)

Synonyms

• Blockade: To obstruct access to or from an area.
• Seal off: To close an area completely.
• Isolate: To cause a place to be alone or apart from others.

Related Idioms

• While no common idioms use directly, the concept is central to phrases like:
  • Vây hãm và phong tỏa: To besiege and blockade.

    • Pháo đài bị vây hãm và phong tỏa trong nhiều tháng. (The fortress was besieged and blockaded for many months.)

1. (ít dùng) Blockade
   • Phong bế các cửa biển
     To blockade all ports