quẹt

Thân thiện

Người đàn ông quẹt một que diêm để thắp sáng ngọn nến.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To strike (a match): The primary meaning of "quẹt" is the action of causing a match to ignite by rubbing it against a rough surface.
   • To wipe (with a quick motion): "Quẹt" also means to wipe or brush something away lightly and quickly, often with one's hand or fingers.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Anh ấy quẹt một que diêm. (He strikes a match.)
  • Cô ấy quẹt nước mắt bằng tay. (She wipes away tears with her hand.)

Advanced Usage

• "quẹt thẻ": to swipe a card (e.g., credit card, access card).
  • Khách hàng quẹt thẻ để thanh toán. (The customer swipes the card to pay.)
• The verb can imply a quick, glancing contact or motion, not a thorough cleaning.

Variants and Related Words

• Quẹt máy (v): to crank (an old vehicle), to start (an engine). This is an archaic usage related to the "striking" motion.
  • Tài xế quẹt máy chiếc xe. (The driver cranked the car.)

Synonyms

• Strike: to ignite a match.
• Wipe: to clean or dry by rubbing.
• Swype: to pass something quickly over a surface.

Different Meanings

• Noun (Regional/Dialectal): In some Southern Vietnamese dialects, "quẹt" can mean "match" (the object itself). However, "diêm" is the standard, more common word for "match" in modern Vietnamese.
  • Mua một hộp quẹt. (Buy a box of matches.)

Related Idioms

• Quẹt qua: to brush past, to touch upon lightly.
  • Bài phát biểu chỉ quẹt qua vấn đề chính. (The speech only brushed past the main issue.)

Học thuật

verb

1. to strike; to rule
   • quẹt diêm
     to strike a match to wipe
   • quẹt nước mắt
     to wipe off one's tears

noun

1. Match
   • hộp quẹt
     a box of matches