vày
Definition
Noun:
- A reel or spool: A cylindrical device, often made of wood or bamboo, used for winding thread, yarn, or silk.
- A fletching (of an arrow): The feathers or vanes at the end of an arrow that stabilize its flight.
- A bay or span (dialectal): In architecture, a unit of space defined by structural supports, such as the space between two columns or piers.
Verb (dialectal):
- To roll up into a ball: To crumple or bundle one's clothes or fabric into a loose ball, often before discarding or storing them carelessly.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- Cô ấy quấn chỉ vào cái vày. (She winds the thread onto the reel.)
- Mũi tên cần có vày để bay thẳng. (An arrow needs fletching to fly straight.)
- Cây cầu này được thiết kế với ba vày. (This bridge is designed with three spans.)
Verb:
- Cậu bé vày quần áo bẩn rồi ném vào góc. (The boy balled up his dirty clothes and threw them in the corner.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "vày" is considered regional or dialectal, especially in its meanings related to architecture ("span") and the verb "to roll up." Its use as "reel" or "fletching" is more standard but may still be less common in everyday modern conversation.
Variants and Related Words
- Váy (Noun): This is a distinct, common word meaning "skirt." Do not confuse with "vày."
- Cuộn (Verb/Noun): A more general and common term meaning to roll, coil, or a roll/spool.
Synonyms
- Reel/Spool: ống chỉ, cuộn chỉ.
- Fletching: lông ổn định (trên mũi tên).
- Span/Bay: nhịp cầu, khoang.
- To ball up: vo tròn, cuộn tròn.
Related Phrases
- Cầu ba vày: A three-span bridge. This phrase is a specific architectural term using the dialectal meaning of "vày."