đóng cục
Definition
- Verb:
- To form lumps / to become lumpy: The primary meaning of "đóng cửa" describes the process where a substance, typically a liquid or semi-liquid, solidifies into small, solid masses or clumps. This often happens due to improper mixing, temperature changes, or chemical reactions.
- To clot / to coagulate: Specifically used for liquids like blood or sauces that thicken and form solid or semi-solid masses.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Sữa chua để lâu có thể bị đóng cục. (Yogurt left for a long time can form lumps.)
- Máu bắt đầu đóng cục lại tại vết thương. (The blood began to clot at the wound.)
- Bột không được khuấy kỹ sẽ đóng cục khi nấu. (Flour that isn't stirred well will form lumps when cooked.)
Advanced Usage
- "đóng cục lại": to clot up, to solidify into lumps.
- Nước sốt này đang đóng cục lại, cần thêm nước. (This sauce is clumping up; it needs more water.)
Variants and Related Words
- Vón cục (v): to clump together, to form clumps. This is a very close synonym.
- Đường bị ẩm nên vón cục. (The sugar got damp and clumped together.)
Synonyms
- Clot: (for blood) to change from a liquid to a semi-solid state.
- Curdle: (for milk) to separate into solid and liquid parts.
- Agglomerate: to collect or form into a mass.
Related Idioms
- While "đóng cục" itself is not commonly used in idioms, the concept appears in descriptive phrases about consistency.
- Đặc quánh lại thành cục: to thicken and form into a lump.