Definition

1. Noun:

   • Seal, stamp: An object, often made of metal or stone, used to imprint an official mark or signature on documents. Historically, it referred to the seal of a king or mandarin.
   • Spell, charm: (Less common) A magical charm or spell used by a sorcerer or shaman to ward off evil.

2. Verb:

   • To press, to push: To apply force with a hand or finger, typically downward, onto something.
   • To cram, to stuff: To force or push something into a confined space.
   • To impose, to foist: To force a task or responsibility onto someone else.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Ông quan treo ấn từ quan. (The mandarin resigned by returning his official seal.)
  • Thầy phù thủy làm phép bằng tay ấn. (The sorcerer performed magic with a charm.)

• Verb:

  • Hãy ấn nút đó để bật đèn. (Please press that button to turn on the light.)
  • Cô ấy ấn quần áo vào vali. (She crammed the clothes into the suitcase.)
  • Anh ta luôn ấn việc khó cho đồng nghiệp. (He always foists the difficult tasks onto his colleagues.)

Advanced Usage

• "Treo ấn từ quan": A historical idiom meaning to resign from an official position by returning one's seal, symbolizing the relinquishment of authority.

  • Sau scandal, vị quan quyết định treo ấn từ quan. (After the scandal, the official decided to resign by returning his seal.)

• "Ấn định" (to decide, to set): While a compound word, it originates from the concept of "pressing/stamping" a decision, making it final.

  • Hội đồng đã ấn định ngày tổ chức hội nghị. (The council has set the date for the conference.)

Variants and Related Words

• Con dấu (n): Seal, stamp. A more common modern synonym for the official object.

  • Công ty cần con dấu để ký hợp đồng. (The company needs a seal to sign the contract.)

• Ấn tượng (n): Impression. A compound word where "ấn" carries the sense of something being "pressed" into the mind.

  • Buổi biểu diễn để lại ấn tượng sâu sắc. (The performance left a deep impression.)

• Nhấn (v): To press, to emphasize. A close synonym, often used interchangeably with "ấn" for pressing buttons.

  • Nhấn phím Enter để tiếp tục. (Press the Enter key to continue.)

Synonyms

• Đè (v): To press down, to hold down.
• Nén (v): To compress, to suppress.
• Ép (v): To pressure, to force.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Ấn vào: To press into, to push into.

  • Ấn tiền vào túi sau. (Stuff the money into your back pocket.)

• Ấn xuống: To press down.

  • Ấn xuống cho đến khi nghe tiếng click. (Press down until you hear a click.)

Related Idioms

• (Không common idioms exist that use "ấn" alone in modern Vietnamese. The historical "treo ấn từ quan" is the primary example.)

noun

1. Seal
   • treo ấn từ quan
     to resign by returning one's official seal

verb

1. To press
   • ấn nút điện
     to press an electric button
   • ấn chân ga của xe ô tô
     to press the accelerator of a car
   • ấn việc cho người khác
     to press one's task on another
2. To jam, to cram
   • ấn quần áo vào va li
     to cram clothing into a suitcase