thẻo
Definition
Noun:
- A small, long piece; a strip; a sliver: A thin, elongated fragment or portion of something, often cut or torn off.
- A morsel; a bit: A small piece of something, especially food.
Verb (dialectal):
- To detach by cutting; to cut off a piece: To separate a small, typically long piece from a larger whole by cutting.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- Cô ấy xé cho tôi một thẻo bánh mì. (She tore off a strip of bread for me.)
- Trên bàn chỉ còn lại một thẻo thịt nguội. (Only a sliver of cold meat remained on the table.)
Verb (dialectal):
- Bà thẻo một miếng thịt nhỏ cho con chó. (She cut off a small piece of meat for the dog.)
Advanced Usage
- The word "thẻo" is often used to describe something that is not just small, but also notably long and thin in shape, like a strip or a sliver. It conveys an image of something narrow and elongated.
- It is commonly used with food items (bread, meat, fruit) but can also apply to materials like paper, fabric, or land (e.g., a thin strip of land).
Variants and Related Words
- Miếng (n): A piece, a morsel. (A more general term for a piece, not necessarily long and thin.)
- Mảnh (n): A fragment, a shard. (Often used for broken pieces of hard materials like glass or pottery.)
- Dải (n): A strip, a band. (Often used for something longer, wider, or more regular than a , like a strip of cloth or land.)
Synonyms
- Mảnh nhỏ: A small fragment.
- Dải nhỏ: A small strip.
- Miếng dài: A long piece.
Related Phrases
- Một thẻo bánh: A strip of cake/bread.
- Thẻo đất: A narrow strip of land.
- Thẻo vải: A strip of fabric.
Related Idioms
- Nhỏ như thẻo chỉ: (As thin/small as a thread.) Used to describe something very thin and slender.
- Cô ấy gầy đi, người nhỏ như thẻo chỉ. (She has lost weight, her body is as thin as a thread.)