Definition

1. Noun:

   • Thing; object; article: A general term for any item, object, or article created or used by people.
   • Type of person (derogatory): Used as a prefix to form a derogatory term for a person, expressing contempt or insult.
   • (Vulgar) Female genitalia; vulva: A vulgar term used in swearing or crude speech.
   • (Archaic) Teacher; village scholar: A term for a teacher of classical Chinese characters in the old Confucian education system.

2. Verb:

   • To steam (food): To cook something by exposing it to steam from boiling water.
   • To apply a poultice: To apply or spread a medicinal paste or plaster onto the skin.
   • To trace (a drawing): To copy a picture or design by drawing over its lines.
   • To guess; to surmise: To predict or vaguely foresee something based on known information.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Cô ấy mua nhiều đồ mới. (She bought many new things.)
  • Đồ ngốc! (You fool!)
  • Ông đồ già vẫn viết thư pháp. (The old scholar still writes calligraphy.)

• Verb:

  • Mẹ tôi đồ xôi cho bữa sáng. (My mother steams sticky rice for breakfast.)
  • Bác sĩ đồ thuốc lên vết thương. (The doctor applied a poultice to the wound.)
  • Đứa trẻ đồ lại hình con mèo. (The child traced the picture of a cat.)
  • Tôi đồ là trời sắp mưa. (I guess it is going to rain soon.)

Advanced Usage

• "đồ đạc": belongings, possessions, stuff.

  • Đồ đạc của cô ấy rất gọn gàng. (Her belongings are very tidy.)

• "đồ án": design project, thesis project (in academia or architecture).

  • Sinh viên đang bảo vệ đồ án tốt nghiệp. (The students are defending their graduation theses.)

Variants and Related Words

• Đồ ăn (n): food.

  • Đồ ăn ở đây rất ngon. (The food here is very delicious.)

• Đồ chơi (n): toy.

  • Cửa hàng đồ chơi rất đông trẻ em. (The toy store is full of children.)

• Đồng hồ (n): clock, watch. (Note: This is a compound word where "đồ" is a component with a different etymological root).

  • Đồng hồ của tôi chạy rất chính xác. (My watch runs very accurately.)

Synonyms

• Vật (n): thing, object.
• Món đồ (n): item, article.
• Hấp (v): to steam (synonym for the cooking meaning).

Related Idioms

• Đồ bỏ: worthless thing, trash.

  • Cái máy cũ đó giờ chỉ là đồ bỏ. (That old machine is now just trash.)

• Đồng thanh tương ứng, đồng khí tương cầu: Literally "like sounds harmonize, like energies attract"; meaning "birds of a feather flock together."

  • Họ trở thành bạn thân, đúng là đồng thanh tương ứng. (They became close friends; indeed, birds of a feather flock together.)

noun

1. thing; object; article