Definition

1. Verb:

   • To compare with; to be comparable to: To examine or judge the similarities or differences between two or more things, often to determine equality or relative worth.
   • To spill over; to slosh out: (Of a liquid) to flow or splash over the edge of its container, typically due to movement or the container being too full.

2. Adjective:

   • Viscous; thick: Having a thick, sticky consistency between solid and liquid; not flowing easily.

Usage Examples

• Verb (to compare):
  • Cô ấy thông minh, không ai sánh được. (She is intelligent; no one can compare.)
  • Anh ấy luôn cố gắng sánh kịp anh trai. (He always tries to keep up with/be comparable to his older brother.)
• Verb (to spill):
  • Bát nước canh đầy quá, sánh ra ngoài. (The bowl of soup is too full; it spilled over.)
• Adjective (viscous):
  • Cháo nấu rất sánh và thơm. (The porridge is cooked to be very thick and fragrant.)

Advanced Usage

• "sánh đôi": to be a pair; to be matched/coupled together.
  • Họ trông thật xứng đôi khi sánh bước bên nhau. (They look like a perfect match when they walk side by side.)
• "sánh vai": to stand shoulder to shoulder; to be on equal footing.
  • Hai đội tuyển sánh vai nhau vào chung kết. (The two teams stood shoulder to shoulder entering the finals.)

Variants and Related Words

• So sánh (v): to compare (a more common, general term for comparison).
  • Giáo viên yêu cầu học sinh so sánh hai nhân vật. (The teacher asked the students to compare two characters.)
• Sánh bước (v): to walk in step together; to accompany.
  • Họ sánh bước trên con đường dài. (They walked in step together on the long road.)

Synonyms

• Compare: to estimate, measure, or note the similarity or difference.
• Spill: to cause or allow liquid to flow over the edge.
• Thick/Viscous: having a dense, semi-fluid consistency.

Related Idioms

• Sánh với trăng với sao: To compare oneself to the moon and stars; to have very high, often unrealistic, ambitions or self-regard.
  • Đừng có mơ mộng sánh với trăng với sao. (Don't dream of comparing yourself to the moon and stars.)
• Nước đổ lá khoai: (Like) water rolling off a taro leaf. This idiom describes advice or criticism that has no effect, but it is conceptually related to the "spill" meaning of , illustrating how a liquid (like water, or a spilled substance) does not adhere.
  • Lời khuyên của mẹ với nó như nước đổ lá khoai. (My mother's advice to him is like water off a duck's back.)

adj

1. viscid, viscous

verb

1. spill
   • nước sánh ra ngoài
     water spills out to compare with, to be compared with
   • sánh kip ai
     can compare with someone