Definitions

1. Noun:
   • A physical object for reading: A collection of printed or written pages bound together along one edge, typically enclosed within covers, containing text and/or images for the purpose of reading, study, or reference.
   • A literary or scholarly work: A written or printed work of substantial length, treating a particular subject systematically or telling a story.
   • (Archaic) Tactic, strategy: A plan or scheme, especially in a military or strategic context (this meaning is now rare and mostly found in historical texts).
   • (Anatomy) Omasum: The third compartment of the stomach in ruminants, characterized by its many folds (this meaning is specific to biology/zoology).
   • (In card games) A specific card: A type of card in certain traditional Vietnamese card games, ranking below 'vạn' and above 'văn' in the game Tổ Tôm.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Common meaning):

  • Tôi thích đọc sách vào buổi tối. (I like to read books in the evening.)
  • Cô ấy viết một cuốn sách về lịch sử Việt Nam. (She wrote a book about Vietnamese history.)
  • Hãy mở sách ra trang 10. (Please open your book to page 10.)

• Noun (Other meanings):

  • Nguyễn Trãi dâng sách Bình Ngô. (Nguyễn Trãi presented the Bình Ngô strategy/treatise.) [Historical/Archaic]
  • Lá sách là một phần trong dạ dày của trâu. (The omasum is a part of a buffalo's stomach.) [Biological]
  • Trong bài tổ tôm, quân sách nằm giữa hàng văn và vạn. (In the game Tổ Tôm, the sách card ranks between the 'văn' and 'vạn' cards.) [Card game]

Advanced Usage

• "nói như sách": To speak in a very formal, pedantic, or bookish manner; to talk like a book.

  • Anh ấy luôn nói như sách, nghe rất cứng nhắc. (He always talks like a book, which sounds very rigid.)

• "giở đủ mọi sách" / "giở đủ sách": To try every trick in the book; to use all possible methods or schemes (often with a negative connotation of underhandedness).

  • Hắn ta giở đủ mọi sách để giành lấy hợp đồng đó. (He tried every trick in the book to win that contract.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sách vở (n): Books and documents; often used to refer to theoretical knowledge from books as opposed to practical experience.

  • Kiến thức sách vở cần được áp dụng vào thực tế. (Theoretical book knowledge needs to be applied in practice.)

• Sách giáo khoa (n): Textbook.

  • Mua sách giáo khoa cho năm học mới. (Buy textbooks for the new school year.)

• Sách hiếm (n): Rare book.

• Sách hướng dẫn (n): Guidebook, manual.

Synonyms

• Cuốn: Volume (as in - a book/volume).
• Tác phẩm: Work, publication (emphasizing the literary creation).
• Ấn phẩm: Publication (a more formal term).

Related Phrases / Idioms

• Ham mê sách vở: To be a bookworm; to be passionately fond of books and reading.

  • Cô ấy là một người ham mê sách vở. (She is a bookworm.)

• Ăn theo sách, nói theo chữ: To act and speak strictly by the book; to be overly formal and rule-bound.

• Sách trắng: White paper (an authoritative report or guide).

noun

1. book