xua
Definition
- Verb:
- To shoo, to drive away: To make an animal, insect, or sometimes a person go away by waving a hand or an object, or by making a noise.
- To dispel, to banish: To try to remove an abstract, unwanted feeling, thought, or influence, such as sadness, evil spirits, or a bad omen.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Cô ấy dùng tay để xua đàn ruồi. (She used her hand to shoo the flies away.)
- Người nông dân xua đàn vịt vào chuồng. (The farmer shooed the ducks into the pen.)
- Anh ấy cố gắng xua đi cảm giác lo lắng. (He tried to banish the feeling of anxiety.)
- Thầy mo làm lễ để xua đuổi tà ma. (The shaman performed a ritual to drive away evil spirits.)
Advanced Usage
"xua đuổi": to drive away, to expel (often used for pests or negative forces). This is a more emphatic and formal variant.
- Thuốc này dùng để xua đuổi muỗi. (This medicine is used to repel mosquitoes.)
"xua tan": to dispel, to scatter (used for abstract things like doubts, cold, or darkness).
- Ánh nắng buổi sáng xua tan làn sương mù. (The morning sunlight dispelled the fog.)
Variants and Related Words
- Đuổi (v): to chase, to pursue, to expel. This is a more general term for making something/someone leave, often with more force or intention than "xua".
Synonyms
- Shoo: to drive away by saying "shoo" or making a gesture.
- Dispel: to make a doubt, feeling, or belief disappear.
- Banish: to send someone or something away, especially from a place, or to get rid of a thought.
Related Idioms
- Xua tay: Literally "to shoo with the hand". Often used to mean a dismissive gesture, showing refusal or denial.
- Khi tôi đề nghị giúp, anh ấy chỉ xua tay. (When I offered help, he just waved his hand dismissively.)