Bày

Bày is a Vietnamese verb meaning to display, lay out, or present something so that it can be seen. It applies to both physical objects and abstract expressions. For example, bày đồ lên bàn means to lay out items on a table, while bày tỏ ý kiến means to express an opinion.

Common compounds and phrases include bày biện (to arrange or decorate neatly), bày hàng or bày đồ (to display goods for sale), bày tỏ (to express feelings or opinions), bày ra (to reveal or disclose something, such as information or evidence), and bày đặt (to act in a pompous or pretentious way).

Usage notes: bày is transitive and typically takes a direct object. In formal writing, more precise verbs may be preferred depending on context: trình bày (to present information formally) or trưng bày (to exhibit publicly). The nuance of bày varies with the compound; bày tỏ is neutral to formal, while bày đặt can carry a negative or pejorative tone. The word is common in everyday Vietnamese and understood across dialects.