vời

Một con thuyền nhỏ bơi trên vời sông.

Definition

1. Noun:

   • A wide expanse of water, the main channel of a river: Refers to a broad, open area of water, especially the deep, central part of a river, far from the banks.
   • (Archaic, poetic) A distant, far-off place: Used to describe a place that is very remote or far away.

2. Adjective:

   • Distant, far-off: Describes something that is very far away in space or, metaphorically, in time or relationship.

3. Verb:

   • (Archaic) To summon, to call (someone of high status): To formally call for someone's presence, especially a sovereign or superior.
   • (Archaic) To beckon, to invite with a hand gesture: To gesture for someone to come closer or to sit down.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Con thuyền nhỏ bé giữa dòng vời. (The small boat in the middle of the river's expanse.)
  • Nỗi nhớ phương trời vời vợi. (Longing for a distant horizon.)

• Adjective:

  • Hai bờ cách vời. (The two banks are far apart.)
  • Một tương lai vời xa. (A distant future.)

• Verb:

  • Nhà vua vời các đại thần vào triều. (The king summoned the mandarins to the court.)
  • Ông chủ vời tôi lại gần. (The boss beckoned me to come closer.)

Advanced Usage

• "vời vợi" (adj): Immensely distant, vast, boundless (often used for abstract concepts like memories, dreams, or the sky).
  • Ước mơ vời vợi. (A boundless dream.)
• "xa vời" (adj): Far-fetched, unrealistic, remote (in possibility).
  • Một kế hoạch xa vời. (A far-fetched plan.)

Variants and Related Words

• Vời vợi (adj): As above.
• Xa vời (adj): As above.
• Vời is a literary and somewhat archaic word. In modern spoken Vietnamese, its meanings are mostly preserved in fixed phrases or poetic language.

Synonyms

• Noun (expanse): (riverbed), (wide area).
• Adjective (distant): (far), (remote), (separated by distance/obstacles).
• Verb (summon): (to convene), (to call).
• Verb (beckon): (to signal), (to wave over).

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Vời vào: To summon inside.
  • Vời vào điện đài. (To summon into the palace hall.)
• Vời tới: To summon to come.
  • Vời tới kinh thành. (To summon to the capital city.)

Related Idioms

• Cách vời: To be separated by a great distance.
  • Hai anh em sống cách vời. (The two brothers live far apart.)
• Trông vời: To gaze into the distance (often with longing).
  • Trông vời cố quốc. (To gaze longingly toward the distant homeland.)