quệt
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- 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.)