ăn

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The Vietnamese word "ăn" is a verb that primarily means "to eat." It is a fundamental term that you will encounter often in everyday conversations and is essential for anyone learning Vietnamese.

Basic Usage:

• Meaning: "ăn" means to eat, feed, take, or have a meal.
• Examples:
  • ăn cơm: to eat rice
  • ăn bánh mì: to eat bread

Contextual Usage:

• You can use "ăn" in various contexts related to meals:
  • những con bò đang ăn cỏ khô: The cows are feeding on hay.
  • cho ngựa ăn yến mạch: To feed oats to horses.
  • đến giờ cho các em bé ăn chưa?: Is it time to feed the babies?
  • chúng không tự ăn một mình được: They cannot feed themselves yet.

Meal Context:

"ăn" can also be used to refer to specific meals: - ăn điểm tâm: to have breakfast - ăn trưa: to have lunch

Advanced Usage:

In more advanced contexts, "ăn" can be used metaphorically or in idiomatic expressions: - ăn mừng: to celebrate (literally, "to eat to celebrate") - ăn chơi: to indulge or have fun (literally, "to eat for fun")

Word Variants:

• ăn uống: to eat and drink (referring to having a meal)
• ăn kiêng: to diet (literally, "to eat restricted")

Different Meanings:

While "ăn" mainly means "to eat," it can also imply consuming something in a broader sense: - ăn thua: to gamble (literally, "to eat and lose/win") - ăn cắp: to steal (literally, "to eat theft")

Synonyms:

Some synonyms for "ăn" include: - dùng: to use or consume (more formal) - hấp thụ: to absorb (used more in scientific contexts)

Academic

verb

1. To eat, to feed, to take, to have
   • ăn cơm, ăn bánh mì
     to eat rice, to eat bread
   • những con bò đang ăn cỏ khô
     the cows are feeding on hay
   • cho ngựa ăn yến mạch
     to feed oats to horses
   • đến giờ cho các em bé ăn chưa?
     is it time to feed the babies?
   • chúng không tự ăn một mình được
     they cannot feed themselves yet
   • ăn điểm tâm, ăn trưa
     to have breakfast, to have lunch
   • ăn một bữa ăn đạm bạc / thịnh soạn
     to take a frugal/copious meal
   • thức ăn