que diêm

Một người đàn ông quẹt que diêm để thắp sáng ngọn nến.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Matchstick: A small, thin piece of wood (or cardboard) with a tip coated in a chemical substance that ignites from friction when struck against a suitable surface, producing a flame.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Cô bé bán diêm quẹt một que diêm để sưởi ấm. (The little match girl struck a matchstick to warm herself.)
  • Hộp diêm này chỉ còn lại vài que diêm. (This matchbox only has a few matchsticks left.)
  • Anh ấy dùng một que diêm để thắp nến. (He used a matchstick to light the candle.)

Advanced Usage

• The word is a compound noun, where "que" means a stick or a slender piece, and "diêm" (from the French ) specifically means match. Together, they form the standard term for a single matchstick.
• "Quẹt diêm" or "đánh diêm": to strike a match.
  • Cậu bé học cách đánh diêm. (The boy learned how to strike a match.)

Variants and Related Words

• Hộp diêm (n): matchbox.
  • Diêm được đựng trong một hộp diêm nhỏ. (The matches are kept in a small matchbox.)
• Bao diêm (n): a pack of matches (often a paper packet).
• Đầu que diêm (n): the match head (the ignitable tip).

Synonyms

• Match: The general English term for the object.
• Matchstick: Specifically refers to the small wooden stick form.

Related Idioms

• Ướt như chuột lột / ướt sũng: While not containing "que diêm," a common idiom related to matches is "ướt như que diêm" (wet as a matchstick), meaning completely soaked and useless, as a wet match cannot be lit.
  • Cơn mưa làm tôi ướt như que diêm. (The rain left me soaked through.)