Breakdown of Cậu tráng sạch chai nhựa nhé.
nhé
(softener)
cậu
you (informal, peer)
chai nhựa
the plastic bottle
tráng sạch
to rinse clean
Questions & Answers about Cậu tráng sạch chai nhựa nhé.
What does cậu mean here?
Cậu is a second-person pronoun meaning you, but it is not neutral in all situations.
In this sentence, cậu is typically used:
- between friends
- with someone of a similar age
- sometimes to someone younger in a casual way
So the sentence sounds familiar and informal, not like something you would normally say to a stranger, a boss, or an older person.
A very rough comparison in English would just be you, but Vietnamese pronouns also show relationship and social closeness.
Why is tráng used instead of rửa?
Tráng usually means to rinse or to swish water around and wash lightly, often as a quick cleaning step.
By contrast, rửa is a broader word meaning to wash.
So:
- rửa chai = wash the bottle
- tráng chai = rinse the bottle
In this sentence, tráng suggests rinsing the plastic bottle out, rather than giving it a full scrub.
What does sạch do in this sentence?