Definition

1. Verb:

   • To enter, to go in: Indicates movement from an outside location to an inside location, or from a wider to a narrower space.
   • To join, to become a member of: To begin participating in or become part of an organization, group, or state.
   • To begin, to start: To commence an activity, a process, or a new period of time.
   • To conform, to fall into order: To begin adhering to rules, patterns, or established norms.
   • To be absorbed, to be comprehended (informal): Refers to knowledge or information being taken in or understood.

2. Preposition:

   • Into, in, to: Indicates direction, target, or the object of an action. It shows what an action is directed toward or based upon.

3. Particle (used at the end of a sentence or clause):

   • Used for emphasis or urging: Encourages performing an action more vigorously, quickly, or thoroughly.
   • Used to imply criticism: Suggests that an excessive action will naturally lead to a bad consequence.

Usage Examples

• Verb:

  • Xin mời anh vào nhà. (Please come into the house.)
  • Cô ấy vào đảng năm ngoái. (She joined the party last year.)
  • Chúng tôi vào việc ngay lập tức. (We started the work immediately.)
  • Mọi thứ đã vào nền nếp. (Everything has fallen into order.)
  • Bài giảng khó quá, tôi nghe mãi mà không vào. (The lecture is too difficult, I listened for a long time but it didn't sink in.)

• Preposition:

  • Anh ấy nhìn vào mắt tôi. (He looked into my eyes.)
  • Chúng ta không nên trông chờ vào may rủi. (We should not rely on luck.)

• Particle:

  • Ăn nhiều vào cho khỏe! (Eat a lot so you can be healthy!)
  • Chơi game nhiều vào, rồi sẽ thi trượt. (Keep playing games excessively, and you'll fail the exam.)

Advanced Usage

• "vào lúc" / "vào dịp": At the time of, on the occasion of.

  • Chúng tôi sẽ gặp nhau vào lúc 3 giờ. (We will meet at 3 o'clock.)
  • Gia đình sum họp vào dịp Tết. (The family gathers on the occasion of Tet.)

• "vào loại": To be of the type/class/category of; to rank as.

  • Đây là một nhà hàng vào loại tốt nhất thành phố. (This is a restaurant that ranks among the best in the city.)

Variants and Related Words

• Đi vào: To go into; (figuratively) to enter a state (e.g., - to go into operation).
• Bước vào: To step into; to enter (often used for ceremonies, new stages).
• Tham gia vào: To participate in.
• Chuyển vào: To transfer into.
• Vào ra (idiomatic): To go in and out; to frequent a place.

Synonyms

• Verb (to enter): Bước vào, tiến vào.
• Verb (to join): Gia nhập, tham gia.
• Verb (to start): Bắt đầu, khởi đầu.
• Preposition (into): Vô (Southern Vietnamese colloquialism).

Related Phrases (with other words)

• Vào cửa: To enter (a place with an entrance like a theater, museum); admission.
• Vào đề: To introduce the topic (in writing or speaking).
• Vào tù: To go to prison.
• Vào mùa: To be in season.
• Vào guồng: To get into the swing of things; to get into a rhythm.

Related Idioms

• Vào sinh ra tử: To go through life and death (together); to share extreme dangers and hardships.
• Vào luồn ra cúi: To bend and stoop (to please superiors); to be obsequious.
• Vào lỗ tai này ra lỗ tai kia: To go in one ear and out the other.
• Vào bếp: To enter the kitchen; to start cooking.

verb

1. to come in, to go in to set in, to begin to join, to enter

conj

1. in, into, on

adj

1. in; to a touchdown