thu vén
Definition
- Verb:
- To tidy up; to put in order: To organize or arrange things neatly, especially in a domestic space.
- To manage frugally; to economize: To run a household or manage resources in a careful, thrifty, and efficient manner.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Cô ấy dành buổi sáng để thu vén nhà cửa. (She spent the morning tidying up the house.)
- Người vợ biết thu vén nên gia đình luôn có khoản tiền dự phòng. (The wife knows how to manage frugally, so the family always has a reserve fund.)
Advanced Usage
- The word often carries a positive connotation of diligence, orderliness, and domestic responsibility, particularly when describing a homemaker.
- It can imply a continuous or habitual action of maintaining order and financial prudence.
Variants and Related Words
- Thu dọn (v): To clean up, to clear away. This focuses more on the physical act of cleaning rather than the ongoing management implied by "thu vén."
- Thu dọn bàn ăn sau bữa tối. (To clear the dinner table after the meal.)
Synonyms
- Tidy up: To make a place neat and orderly.
- Arrange: To put things into a proper or systematic order.
- Manage (a household): To handle the operations of a home, often with an emphasis on economy.
Related Idioms
- Ăn có thu vén, đụng có dè dặt: An idiom praising careful management and cautious action in all matters.
- Bà ấy sống theo câu "ăn có thu vén, đụng có dè dặt" nên chẳng bao giờ thiếu thốn. (She lives by the saying "be frugal in consumption and cautious in action," so she is never in need.)