tông
Definition
- Verb:
- To collide with; to crash into; to bump into: This is the primary modern meaning of "tông." It describes a forceful impact, typically unintentional, between two objects, especially vehicles or a person and an object.
- To be of (a certain) lineage or family background: An archaic or literary meaning, indicating someone originates from a good or notable family line.
Usage Examples
Verb (to collide):
- Xe tải tông vào cột điện. (The truck crashed into the utility pole.)
- Cậu bé vô ý tông đầu vào cửa kính. (The boy accidentally bumped his head against the glass door.)
- Hai xe máy tông nhau ở ngã tư. (Two motorbikes collided at the intersection.)
Verb (archaic: lineage):
- Anh ấy con nhà tông, không giống lông cũng giống cánh. (He is from a good family; if not similar in feathers, then similar in wings – a proverb meaning children resemble their parents.)
Advanced Usage
- The verb "tông" often implies a direct, head-on, or blunt impact. It is commonly used in news reports about traffic accidents.
- In the context of lineage, the phrase "con nhà tông" is a fixed expression meaning "a child from a good family" or, more generally, used in proverbs to suggest inherent traits passed from parent to child.
Variants and Related Words
- Đâm (v): A close synonym for "tông" meaning to crash or ram into. "Đâm" can sometimes sound slightly more intentional or violent.
- Va (v): To bump or graze; often implies a lighter, less destructive contact than "tông."
- Tai nạn tông xe (n): A car crash/collision accident.
Synonyms
- Collide: To come into violent contact.
- Crash: To collide violently, especially of vehicles.
- Bump: To hit or knock against something.
- Lineage: Direct descent from an ancestor.
Related Idioms
- Con nhà tông không giống lông cũng giống cánh: A proverb meaning "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree" or "like father, like son," emphasizing inherited characteristics.