Definition

Verb: - To massage: Specifically refers to a traditional Vietnamese form of massage, often involving techniques like kneading, pressing, and pounding to relieve muscle fatigue and pain. The practitioner is typically male.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Sau một ngày làm việc mệt mỏi, tôi muốn đi tẩm quất. (After a tiring day at work, I want to go for a massage.)
  • Ông ấy thường xuyên tẩm quất để giảm đau lưng. (He regularly gets massages to relieve back pain.)
  • Ở con phố này có vài tiệm tẩm quất. (There are a few massage shops on this street.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "tẩm quất" strongly implies a specific, traditional style of therapeutic massage, often for relaxation and pain relief, rather than a modern spa treatment. It is a culturally embedded practice.

Variants and Related Words

• Xoa bóp (verb): To rub, to massage. This is a more general term for massage.
• Bấm huyệt (verb): To perform acupressure.
• Đấm bóp (verb): To pound and knead (a synonym often used interchangeably with "tẩm quất").

Synonyms

• Massage (verb): The direct English equivalent, though it lacks the specific cultural connotation.
• Knead (verb): To work and press with the hands, often used in the context of dough or muscles.

Related Phrases / Idioms

• Đi tẩm quất: To go for/get a massage. This is the most common collocation.
  • Cuối tuần, bố tôi thích đi tẩm quất. (On weekends, my father likes to go for a massage.)

verb

1. to massage