Definition

1. Verb:
   • To knead, to pound, to grind: The primary meaning of "quết" is to repeatedly press, pound, or grind a substance (often food) to make it fine, smooth, and well-mixed.
   • To apply, to coat, to spread: A secondary meaning is to apply or spread a viscous substance (like paint, glue, or paste) onto a surface so that it adheres.

Usage Examples

• Verb (to knead/pound):

  • Bà ấy đang quết thịt để làm giò. (She is pounding the meat to make pork paste.)
  • Muốn làm bánh dẻo ngon, phải quết bột thật kỹ. (To make good sticky rice cakes, you must knead the dough thoroughly.)

• Verb (to apply/coat):

  • Anh thợ quết một lớp sơn lên tường. (The worker applied a coat of paint to the wall.)
  • Quết một lớp mỏng bơ lên mặt bánh. (Spread a thin layer of butter on the cake.)

Advanced Usage

• "quết cho nhuyễn": to pound/grind until smooth and pasty.

  • Quết thịt với mộc nhĩ cho thật nhuyễn. (Pound the meat with wood ear mushrooms until very smooth.)

• "quết hồ": to apply paste/glue.

  • Quết hồ lên mép giấy trước khi dán. (Apply glue to the edge of the paper before sticking it.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nghiền (verb): to grind, to crush. Often used for dry ingredients or in a more general crushing sense.
• Giã (verb): to pound (often in a mortar with a pestle). Similar to "quết" but can imply a more forceful, pounding action.
• Phết (verb): to spread, to daub. Very close in meaning to the "coating" sense of "quết," but "phết" often implies a lighter, thinner, or more casual application (e.g., spreading jam).

Synonyms

• Nhào (verb): to knead (dough). Focuses more on the mixing and folding action for dough.
• Trét (verb): to smear, to plaster. Similar to the coating sense, often for thicker substances like plaster or mud.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Quết vào: to apply/spread onto something.
  • Quết sơn vào chỗ bong tróc. (Apply paint to the peeling spot.)

Related Idioms

• (None directly and commonly associated with the core meanings of "quết")

verb

1. to knead