Definition

1. Verb:
   • To caulk: To seal a gap or seam, especially in a boat or window, by filling it with a waterproof material.
   • To plaster / to daub: To spread a viscous substance like mortar, mud, or paste over a surface to cover it or fill cracks.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Anh ấy đang trét kẽ hở trên thuyền. (He is caulking the gaps on the boat.)
  • Thợ xây trét tường bằng vữa. (The builder plasters the wall with mortar.)
  • Cô ấy trét bùn lên vết nứt. (She daubed mud over the crack.)

Advanced Usage

• The word "trét" often implies a careful, manual application to achieve a seal or a smooth, covered surface. It is commonly used in construction and repair contexts.

Variants and Related Words

• Trét vữa (v): to apply mortar/plaster.
  • Công đoạn tiếp theo là trét vữa lên tường. (The next step is to apply plaster to the wall.)
• Bịt trét (v): to seal by caulking or daubing.
  • Phải bịt trét các lỗ hổng để chống thấm. (The holes must be sealed to prevent leaks.)

Synonyms

• Seal: To close something securely.
• Plug: To fill a hole.
• Coat: To cover a surface with a layer.

Related Idioms

• Trót đã trét thì phải trét cho kỹ: Equivalent to "In for a penny, in for a pound" or "As well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb." It means once you have started something, you must see it through thoroughly.
  • Việc này khó nhưng trót đã trét thì phải trét cho kỹ. (This task is difficult, but in for a penny, in for a pound.)

verb

1. to caulk, to plaster, to daub