Definition

1. Verb:

   • To gather, to assemble, to congregate: Refers to people or things coming together in one place, often spontaneously or in a group.
   • To accumulate, to collect, to condense: Describes substances like clouds, mist, or liquids gathering or forming in a specific area.

2. Noun (Physics/Optics):

   • Convergence: The act or point of converging, especially of light rays.
   • Lens power: The focusing power of a lens, measured in diopters.

3. Noun (Electricity):

   • Capacitor: An electrical component that stores energy in an electric field (short for "tụ điện").

Usage Examples

• Verb:

  • Đám đông tụ lại trước tòa nhà. (The crowd gathered in front of the building.)
  • Hơi nước tụ lại thành những giọt sương. (Water vapor condensed into dewdrops.)

• Noun (Physics):

  • Độ tụ của thấu kính này là 5 đi-ốp. (The power of this lens is 5 diopters.)

• Noun (Electricity):

  • Tụ trong mạch điện này bị hỏng. (The capacitor in this circuit is broken.)

Advanced Usage

• "tụ họp": to meet up, to convene (often for a social purpose).

  • Gia đình tôi tụ họp vào mỗi dịp Tết. (My family gathers every Tet holiday.)

• "tụ tập": to congregate, to assemble (can imply a larger or more informal gathering).

  • Không được tụ tập đông người ở đây. (Do not congregate in large numbers here.)

Variants and Related Words

• Tụ điện (n): capacitor.
• Độ tụ (n): convergence; lens power.
• Tụ điểm (n): gathering point, hotspot (often used for places of concentrated activity, which can be positive or negative).
  • Đây là một tụ điểm văn hóa của thành phố. (This is a cultural hotspot of the city.)

Synonyms

• Gather: to come together.
• Assemble: to gather into a group.
• Accumulate: to gather or build up over time.
• Condense: to change from a gas to a liquid; to become more concentrated.

Related Idioms

• Mây tụ rồi lại mây tan: Literally "clouds gather then clouds disperse"; figuratively describes the temporary and fleeting nature of gatherings, relationships, or fortunes.
  • Cuộc đời như mây tụ rồi lại mây tan. (Life is like clouds gathering and then dispersing.)