Signification
Untangling hair with a comb.
Contexte culturel
Traditional Vietnamese women used to wash their hair with 'bồ kết' (locust fruit) and then comb it while it was still damp to keep it shiny and black. There is a folk belief that you should not comb your hair at night in front of a mirror, as it might invite ghosts or bad luck. The 'Ivory Comb' (Chiếc lược ngà) is a famous story where a comb represents the bond between a soldier father and his daughter. Long, neatly combed hair was historically a sign of a 'con nhà lành' (a girl from a good family).
Use 'Chải đầu'
If you want to sound more like a local in Hanoi, use 'chải đầu' instead of 'chải tóc'.
Avoid 'Đánh'
Never say 'đánh tóc'. It sounds like you are hitting your hair with a stick!
Signification
Untangling hair with a comb.
Use 'Chải đầu'
If you want to sound more like a local in Hanoi, use 'chải đầu' instead of 'chải tóc'.
Avoid 'Đánh'
Never say 'đánh tóc'. It sounds like you are hitting your hair with a stick!
The 'Cho' Rule
Always use 'cho' when combing someone else's hair to sound polite and caring.
Tone Practice
Practice the 'hỏi' tone in 'chải' carefully; if you say it with a flat tone, it sounds like 'chai' (bottle).
Teste-toi
Fill in the missing word to complete the daily routine.
Mỗi sáng, tôi dùng lược để ___ tóc.
'Chải' is the correct verb for hair grooming with a comb.
Which sentence is the most natural when a mother helps her daughter?
A. Mẹ chải tóc em. B. Mẹ chải tóc cho em. C. Mẹ đánh tóc cho em.
Using 'cho' indicates the action is done for someone else, which is very natural in Vietnamese.
Match the verb with the correct object.
1. Chải | 2. Đánh | 3. Rửa
Chải tóc (comb hair), Đánh răng (brush teeth), Rửa mặt (wash face).
Complete the dialogue.
A: Tóc bạn rối quá! B: Ừ, để mình ___ lại.
If hair is tangled (rối), you need to comb (chải) it.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Chải vs. Đánh vs. Vuốt
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesMỗi sáng, tôi dùng lược để ___ tóc.
'Chải' is the correct verb for hair grooming with a comb.
A. Mẹ chải tóc em. B. Mẹ chải tóc cho em. C. Mẹ đánh tóc cho em.
Using 'cho' indicates the action is done for someone else, which is very natural in Vietnamese.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
Chải tóc (comb hair), Đánh răng (brush teeth), Rửa mặt (wash face).
A: Tóc bạn rối quá! B: Ừ, để mình ___ lại.
If hair is tangled (rối), you need to comb (chải) it.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYes, they are 99% interchangeable. 'Chải đầu' is slightly more informal.
No, for teeth we use 'đánh răng'. However, the toothbrush itself is called 'bàn chải đánh răng'.
Vietnamese uses 'chải tóc' for both. If you want to be specific, you can say 'chải bằng bàn chải' (brush) or 'chải bằng lược' (comb).
In Vietnam, it's generally fine in casual settings, but doing it at a dining table is considered impolite.
The verb is 'làm rối'. If the hair is already tangled, we say 'tóc bị rối'.
It's better to say 'chải lông' for animals.
A comb is 'cái lược'.
You can say 'Tôi cần chỉnh lại tóc' or 'Tôi cần chải lại tóc'.
Young people might say 'vuốt tút' or 'tút lại' for general grooming.
Yes, it can mean to scrub (chải sàn - scrub the floor) or to spread out.
Expressions liées
Vuốt tóc
similarTo stroke hair with hands
Búi tóc
builds onTo put hair in a bun
Tết tóc
builds onTo braid hair
Cắt tóc
similarTo cut hair
Gội đầu
similarTo wash hair
Chải chuốt
specialized formTo groom meticulously
