rái

Rải is a Vietnamese verb meaning to scatter, spread, or lay out substances over a surface in a thin, even layer. It describes the action of distributing material so that it covers an area rather than being concentrated in a single spot. The term is used across various contexts, from practical tasks to everyday activities.

In logistics and construction, rải is used for materials such as gravel, sand, soil, or concrete when they are spread over ground or a formwork to create a base or surface. In agriculture, it describes the distribution of fertilizers, seeds, or other amendments over fields or beds. In cooking and food preparation, rải can refer to sprinkling salt, sugar, spices, or powdered seasonings onto a dish to achieve even coverage. The verb also appears in decorative or preparatory tasks, for example rải hoa petals on a surface or rải thảm để trang trí a space.

Common phrases include rải rác (scattered around) and rải đều (spread evenly). The action can be performed by hand or with equipment, and it is commonly used in formal and informal contexts. Grammatically, rải is a regular verb and can take standard tense and aspect markers in Vietnamese, such as đang rải (is scattering), đã rải (has scattered), or sẽ rải (will scatter).