Definition

1. Verb:
   • To coat; to spread; to lay thickly: To apply a substance (like paint, glue, or sauce) onto a surface in a quick, often careless or broad stroke.
   • To wipe; to smear: To rub or drag something (like a hand or cloth) across a surface, often leaving a mark or transferring a substance.
   • To graze; to brush against: To make light, incidental contact with something while passing by.

Usage Examples

• Verb (to coat/spread):

  • Cô ấy quệt một lớp mứt mỏng lên bánh mì. (She spread a thin layer of jam on the bread.)
  • Anh thợ quệt hồ lên tường trước khi dán giấy. (The worker coated paste on the wall before hanging the wallpaper.)

• Verb (to wipe/smear):

  • Đứa bé quệt tay bẩn lên cửa kính. (The child smeared his dirty hand on the glass door.)
  • Nó quệt nước mắt bằng tay áo. (He wiped his tears with his sleeve.)

• Verb (to graze/brush against):

  • Chiếc xe tải quệt nhẹ vào thành cầu khi đi qua. (The truck lightly grazed the bridge railing as it passed.)
  • Tôi vô tình quệt vai vào người đứng bên cạnh. (I accidentally brushed my shoulder against the person standing next to me.)

Advanced Usage

• "quệt môi": to lick/wipe one's lips (often after eating or in anticipation).

  • Cậu bé quệt môi sau khi ăn xong chiếc kem. (The boy licked his lips after finishing the ice cream.)

• "quệt mũi": to wipe/rub one's nose (often on a sleeve, implying a casual or childish action).

  • Đừng có quệt mũi vào áo! (Don't wipe your nose on your shirt!)

Variants and Related Words

• Quẹt (verb): A common Southern Vietnamese variant with the same meanings as "quệt".

  • Anh ấy quẹt nhẹ que diêm. (He struck the match lightly.)

• Bôi (verb): to smear/daub. Often implies a more deliberate or thicker application than "quệt".

• Phết (verb): to spread/coat. Similar to "quệt" but can imply a neater, more even application.
• Chạm (verb): to touch/contact. A more general term for contact, without the implied sliding or brushing motion of "quệt".

Synonyms

• Trét (verb): to plaster/daub (similar to coating thickly).
• Lau (verb): to wipe. More deliberate and thorough than the quick action of "quệt".
• Sượt (verb): to graze/skim. Very close in meaning to the "brushing against" sense.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Quệt vào: to brush/graze against something.

  • Xe đạp của tôi quệt vào gốc cây. (My bicycle brushed against the tree root.)

• Quệt đi: to wipe/swipe something off.

  • Cô ấy quệt đi vết bẩn trên bàn. (She wiped off the stain on the table.)

Related Idioms

• Quệt mỏ (literally: to wipe/rub one's beak): Used humorously or for animals (like chickens pecking the ground). Can imply a quick, light action.

  • Con gà đang quệt mỏ xuống đất tìm thức ăn. (The chicken is pecking/rubbing its beak on the ground looking for food.)

• Quệt nhẹ (literally: to brush lightly): Often used to describe minor, non-serious contact or conflict.

  • Hai ý kiến chỉ quệt nhẹ vào nhau, không có tranh cãi lớn. (The two opinions only brushed lightly against each other, there was no big argument.)

verb

1. to coat; spread; to lay thickly