Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To take action, to intervene: To begin doing something, especially to solve a problem or help someone.
   • To show one's skill/ability, to show off one's capability: To perform an action to demonstrate one's talent, strength, or competence.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Thấy tình thế nguy cấp, anh ấy liền ra tay giúp đỡ. (Seeing the critical situation, he immediately took action to help.)
  • Đến lúc phải ra tay rồi, không thể chần chừ thêm nữa. (It's time to take action; we cannot hesitate any longer.)
  • Anh thợ mộc già ra tay, chiếc tủ hỏng liền trở nên như mới. (The old carpenter showed his skill, and the broken cabinet became like new.)
  • Cô ấy ra tay nấu một bữa ăn thịnh soạn khiến mọi người đều kinh ngạc. (She showed off her ability by cooking a sumptuous meal that amazed everyone.)

Advanced Usage

• "ra tay nghề": To demonstrate one's professional skill.
  • Đây là cơ hội để anh ra tay nghề cho mọi người thấy. (This is your chance to show everyone your professional skill.)
• "ra tay trước": To act/preemptively strike first.
  • Chúng ta nên ra tay trước trước khi đối thủ kịp phản ứng. (We should strike first before our opponent can react.)

Variants and Related Words

• Hành động (v/n): To act / action. A more general term for taking action.
• Can thiệp (v): To intervene. Often used in formal or serious contexts.
• Trổ tài (v): To display one's talent. Very close in meaning to the "show skill" sense of "ra tay".

Synonyms

• Xử lý: To handle, to deal with (a situation).
• Giải quyết: To resolve, to settle (a matter).
• Thể hiện năng lực: To demonstrate one's capability.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Ra tay cứu giúp: To lend a helping hand, to intervene to help.
  • Cảnh sát đã kịp thời ra tay cứu giúp nạn nhân. (The police promptly intervened to help the victim.)
• Ra tay trừng trị: To take action to punish.
  • Thần linh sẽ ra tay trừng trị kẻ ác. (The gods will take action to punish the wicked.)

Related Idioms

• "Ra tay đúng lúc": To take action at the right moment.
  • May mà bạn ra tay đúng lúc, không thì hậu quả sẽ khôn lường. (Luckily you took action at the right moment, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable.)
• "Biết tay" (often used with "cho biết tay"): To teach someone a lesson (through one's actions).
  • Hắn cần một bài học cho biết tay. (He needs a lesson to teach him a thing or two.) Note: This idiom is related in the context of demonstrating power or skill through action.

1. Show off, show what stuff one is made off
   • Ra tay làm một việc gì
     To do something to show off
2. Set about, begin (to do something)