thực tay
Definition
- Adjective:
- Accurate by hand / Measured correctly by practiced hand: Describes the act of measuring or portioning something by hand (without tools) with consistent accuracy, due to long practice and skill. It implies the hand itself has become a reliable measuring instrument.
- True to one's practiced hand: Emphasizes that the measurement is correct because it comes from a hand skilled through habit.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Bác bán hàng đong gạo thực tay, không bao giờ thiếu. (The vendor portions out rice accurately by hand, never shortchanging.)
- Anh thợ cả đo vải thực tay, không cần thước. (The master tailor measures cloth accurately by hand, needing no ruler.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in contexts of traditional markets, crafts, or cooking where experienced individuals can measure quantities (like grain, fabric, or ingredients) precisely using only their hands as a guide, built from years of repetition.
Variants and Related Words
- Ước tay (v): to estimate by eye or by hand.
- Đầu bếp ước tay lượng gia vị. (The chef estimates the amount of seasoning by hand.)
Synonyms
- Accurate by feel: Correct measurement achieved through tactile experience.
- Practiced hand: A hand skilled through long habit.
Related Idioms
- Quen tay: (lit. familiar hand) Describes an action done skillfully from habit. "Thực tay" often implies the result of being "quen tay."
- Cô ấy cắt chỉ quen tay rồi. (She cuts thread with a practiced hand.)