bồng

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The Vietnamese word "bồng" has several meanings and uses, which can be quite interesting for learners. Here’s a breakdown of the word:

Basic Meaning

1. As a noun: "Bồng" refers to a slender waisted object, often described as an hourglass shape. In a cultural context, it can refer to specific types of traditional musical instruments, such as the tomtom (a type of drum).

2. As a verb: "Bồng" can mean to swell or puff up. It is often used to describe something that expands or increases in size, like water boiling over or fabric puffing out.

Usage Instructions

• When using "bồng" as a noun, it often describes shapes or items that have a slender waist.
• As a verb, "bồng" is used in contexts where something is swelling or puffing up.

Examples

1. Noun:

   • "Chiếc thắt lưng này có kiểu dáng bồng." (This belt has a slender waist design.)

2. Verb:

   • "Nước sôi bồng lên." (The boiling water swelled up.)
   • "Chiếc áo bồng vai rất đẹp." (The puff-sleeved dress is very beautiful.)
   • "Cô ấy chải tóc bồng." (She wears her hair in puffs.)

Advanced Usage

• In a more metaphorical sense, "bồng" can be used to describe a situation where something is elevated or raised, such as in poetry or literature.
• It can also describe a nurturing action, like carrying someone in your arms, especially when referring to children or the elderly, as in "bồng trẻ dắt già" (to carry the young and guide the old).

Word Variants

• Bồng bềnh: This is a variant that means to float or be buoyant, giving a sense of lightness or gently bobbing, often used to describe clouds or water.
• Bồng bồng: This can describe something that is puffy or fluffy, like a cloud or hair styled in a voluminous way.

Different Meanings

• Depending on the context, "bồng" can refer to physical shapes, actions of swelling, and even emotional or metaphorical states of nurturing and care.

Synonyms

• Sưng: This can also mean to swell but often refers to something becoming larger due to injury or inflammation.
• Phồng: A synonym that means to puff up or swell, similar to "bồng" but can be used in different contexts.

Academic

noun

1. Slender waisted tomtom, hourglass-shaped tomtom
   • thắt cỏ bồng
     to be slender at the waist, to have a slender waist

verb

1. To swell, to puff
   • nước sôi bồng lên
     the boiling water swelled
   • chiếc áo bồng vai
     a puff-sleeved dress
   • tóc chải bồng
     to wear one's hair in puffs, to puff one's hair
   • lớn bồng
     to shoot up
2. To carry in one's arms
   • bồng trẻ dắt già
     to carry the young and guide the old