năm

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The Vietnamese word "năm" has a couple of main meanings and uses, which are important to understand for new learners.

Basic Meaning:

1. Năm as "year" (noun):

   • The word "năm" primarily means "year." It is used to refer to a period of 12 months.
   • Example: "Mỗi năm, tôi đi du lịch một lần." (Every year, I travel once.)

2. Năm as "five" (noun):

   • "Năm" can also mean the number "five."
   • Example: "Có năm người trong phòng." (There are five people in the room.)

Usage Instructions:

• When using "năm" in the context of time, it usually comes before other words relating to dates, such as "mỗi" (every) or "năm nhuận" (leap year).
• In the context of numbers, it can stand alone or be used with other counting words.

Advanced Usage:

• Năm nhuận: This term means "leap year," which refers to a year that has an extra day (February 29) to keep the calendar year synchronized with the astronomical year.
  • Example: "Năm 2020 là năm nhuận." (The year 2020 is a leap year.)

Word Variants:

• Năm can be combined with other words to form phrases:
  • "năm học" (school year)
  • "năm mới" (New Year)

Different Meanings:

• It’s important to note that context is key. "Năm" can mean "year" when discussing dates or time, but it can also mean "five" when used in counting or describing quantities.

Synonyms:

• For "year," a synonym is "niên," though "năm" is much more commonly used.
• For "five," there are no direct synonyms, as "năm" is the standard term in Vietnamese.

Academic

noun

1. year
   • mỗi năm
     every year
   • năm nhuần
     leap year

noun

1. five
   • năm người
     five men