bắt chạch trong chum
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Catching the loach in the water-jar — the sure thing, staged in a container.
Literally: catch the loach inside the jar
Sources & notes
Discovered via Nam ngạn chích cẩm (Phạm Quang Sán, 1918; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Nam ngạn chích cẩm (Phạm Quang Sán, 1918). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.
Common questions
What does “bắt chạch trong chum” mean?
Catching the loach in the water-jar — the sure thing, staged in a container. Literally: catch the loach inside the jar
Is “bắt chạch trong chum” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.