Definition

1. Verb:

   • To rock; to sing a lullaby: The primary meaning is to gently rock or sing softly to help a child fall asleep.
   • To lull: To soothe or calm someone, often into a state of sleep or relaxation, through gentle sounds or motion.

2. Particle (Trợ từ):

   • Isn't it?; right?; don't you think?: A question particle placed at the end of a sentence to seek confirmation, express doubt, or soften a rhetorical question. It is common in Central and Southern Vietnamese dialects.

Usage Examples

• Verb:

  • Mẹ thường ru con ngủ bằng những bài hát dân ca. (The mother often lulls her child to sleep with folk songs.)
  • Tiếng võng kẽo kẹt ru tôi vào giấc ngủ. (The creaking sound of the hammock lulled me to sleep.)

• Particle:

  • Trời đẹp quá ru? (The weather is so nice, isn't it?)
  • Anh không đi ru? (You're not going, are you?)

Advanced Usage

• "Êm như ru": As gentle/smooth as a lullaby; very calm and peaceful.
  • Mọi việc đã được giải quyết êm như ru. (Everything was resolved very smoothly.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ru con / Hát ru (n): A lullaby; the act of singing to a child.

  • "Ầu ơ..." là mở đầu của nhiều bài hát ru Việt Nam. ("Ầu ơ..." is the beginning of many Vietnamese lullabies.)

• Bập bềnh (v): To bob; to float gently (describes motion, not the act of lulling).

Synonyms

• Verb:
  • Đưa (v): To swing or rock (e.g., a cradle).
  • Dỗ (v): To soothe or comfort, often a child.
• Particle:
  • Nhỉ (particle): A Northern dialect particle with a similar function to "ru" for seeking agreement.
  • Hả (particle): A common question particle meaning "huh?" or "really?".

Related Phrases (Collocations)

• Ru ngủ: To lull to sleep.
  • Cơn mưa rào ru ngủ cả khu phố. (The rain shower lulled the whole neighborhood to sleep.)
• Ru cho say giấc nồng: To lull into a deep sleep (poetic/literary).

Related Idioms

• Ru ngủ tinh thần: To lull into a false sense of security; to pacify or deceive someone into complacency.
  • Những lời hứa hão là cách để ru ngủ tinh thần quần chúng. (Empty promises are a way to lull the public into a false sense of security.)

verb

1. to rock; to sing; to lull ru con to lull one's child to sleep