bộ

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The Vietnamese word "bộ" is a versatile noun that has several meanings and usages.

Basic Meaning:

1. Appearance / Look: "Bộ" can refer to the way someone looks or carries themselves. For example, if someone walks in a particular way, you might say they have a certain "bộ đi" (gait).

   • Example: "Trong bộ đi cũng nhận được người quen" means "You can recognize an acquaintance from the gait."

2. Capability / Judgement: It can also imply judgment about someone's abilities or capabilities, sometimes with a connotation of disdain.

   • Example: "Bộ nó mà làm gì được" translates to "Judging from his appearance, his capability is not great."

3. Set / Collection: "Bộ" can refer to a set of things, such as a collection of items, or in a more specific sense, a set of bones or a skeleton.

   • Example: "Bộ xương" means "a set of bones."

Advanced Usage:

• "Coi bộ" is a colloquial phrase that can mean "it looks like" or "it seems."

  • Example: "Coi bộ trời sắp mưa" means "It looks like it’s going to rain."

• "Rung đùi ra bộ đắc ý" can be translated as "to stir one's knee with a satisfied look," indicating a sense of pride or self-satisfaction in one's appearance or demeanor.

Variants and Synonyms:

• Synonyms: Depending on the context, "bộ" can have synonyms like "hình dáng" (shape) when referring to appearance, or "khả năng" (ability) when discussing capabilities.
• Variants: The word can also appear in different phrases or idiomatic expressions, such as "bộ dạng" (appearance) or "bộ phận" (part/set).

Different Meanings:

• "Bộ" can also be used in various contexts to indicate different meanings. For instance:
  • In a fashion context, it can refer to an outfit or ensemble.
  • In a grammatical context, it might refer to a set of rules or structures.

Academic

noun

1. Appearance, look, carriage, gait
   • trong bộ đi cũng nhận được người quen
     to recognize an acquaintance from the gait
   • coi bộ trời sắp mưa
     it looks like rain
   • rung đùi ra bộ đắc ý
     to stir one's knee with a satisfied look
2. Capability (hàm ý coi thường)
   • bộ nó mà làm gì được
     judging from his appearance, his capability is not great; he does not seem very capable
   • lớn rồi chứ bộ còn con nít sao!
     you are quite grown up, you don't look a child any more
3. Set
   • bộ xương
     a set of bones, a skeleton