Definition

1. Verb:
   • To blockade, to impose a blockade: The primary meaning refers to the act of surrounding an area, region, or country to isolate it, cutting off transportation and communication with the outside. This can be a military, economic, or sanitary action.
   • To seal off, to lock down: In a broader or more modern context, it can mean to restrict access to and from a specific area, often as a security or public health measure.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Chính phủ quyết định phong tỏa thành phố để ngăn chặn dịch bệnh lây lan. (The government decided to lock down the city to prevent the disease from spreading.)
  • Hải quân được lệnh phong tỏa cảng biển của đối phương. (The navy was ordered to blockade the enemy's seaport.)
  • Khu vực tòa nhà cháy đã bị phong tỏa để phục vụ điều tra. (The area around the burnt building has been sealed off for the investigation.)

Advanced Usage

• "Bị phong tỏa": to be under blockade/sealed off. This passive structure is very common.
  • Thành phố đã bị phong tỏa trong ba tuần. (The city was under lockdown for three weeks.)
• "Áp đặt lệnh phong tỏa": to impose a blockade/lockdown order.
  • Chính quyền địa phương áp đặt lệnh phong tỏa toàn bộ khu phố. (The local authorities imposed a complete lockdown on the entire neighborhood.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sự phong tỏa (Noun): The blockade, the lockdown.
  • Sự phong tỏa kéo dài đã ảnh hưởng nghiêm trọng đến nền kinh tế. (The prolonged blockade has seriously affected the economy.)
• Lệnh phong tỏa (Noun Phrase): Blockade order, lockdown order.
  • Lệnh phong tỏa sẽ có hiệu lực từ nửa đêm. (The lockdown order will take effect from midnight.)

Synonyms

• Bao vây: To surround, to besiege (often with a more military connotation).
• Cô lập: To isolate.
• Cấm vận: To embargo (specifically for trade/goods).

Related Phrases (Collocations)

• Phong tỏa kinh tế: To impose an economic blockade.
  • Nhiều nước áp đặt lệnh phong tỏa kinh tế lên quốc gia đó. (Many countries imposed an economic blockade on that nation.)
• Phong tỏa đường không/đường biển: To impose an air/sea blockade.
  • Lực lượng liên minh tiến hành phong tỏa đường biển. (The allied forces carried out a naval blockade.)
• Phong tỏa để cách ly: To lock down for quarantine/isolation purposes.
  • Một khu chợ lớn bị phong tỏa để cách ly do có ca nhiễm Covid-19. (A large market was locked down for quarantine due to Covid-19 cases.)

verb

1. to blockade