compose
/kəmˈpoʊz/To create music or a piece of writing, to form a whole from parts, or to make oneself calm.
Tiếng Việt
soạn, sáng tác, cấu tạo
kơm-PÔU-z
Nhấn mạnh vào âm tiết thứ hai 'PÔU', kết thúc bằng âm 'z' nhẹ.
Sáng tác nhạc hoặc văn bản, cấu thành một tổng thể từ các phần, hoặc giữ bình tĩnh.
Meanings
7 meanings
1To write a piece of music.arts culture
Sáng tác một bản nhạc.
“Mozart composed his last opera shortly before he died.”
“Mozart đã sáng tác vở nhạc kịch cuối cùng của mình ngay trước khi ông qua đời.”
- He began to compose music at a very early age.
- The anthem was specially composed for the occasion.
- The opera was composed in 1931 but wasn’t performed until 1940.
Dùng 'sáng tác' thay vì 'viết' để thể hiện tính nghệ thuật và chuyên nghiệp trong âm nhạc.
2To write a letter, speech, or poem, usually with a lot of care and thought.communication
Soạn thảo một bức thư, bài diễn văn hoặc bài thơ một cách cẩn thận.
“She sat down to compose a letter of protest to the mayor.”
“Cô ấy ngồi xuống để soạn một bức thư phản đối gửi tới thị trưởng.”
- He spent hours composing a formal reply.
- I need some time to compose my thoughts before the meeting.
- The students were asked to compose a short poem.
Từ này nhấn mạnh quá trình suy nghĩ và chau chuốt ngôn từ, tương đương với 'soạn thảo' trong tiếng Việt.
3To combine together to form a whole.general
Kết hợp lại để tạo thành một tổng thể.
“Ten people compose the committee.”
“Mười người tạo thành ủy ban.”
- Protons and neutrons compose the nucleus of an atom.
- The several elements that compose the landscape are perfectly balanced.
- A series of short stories compose the novel.
Đây là cách dùng chủ động (A, B, C compose D). Lưu ý sự khác biệt với 'comprise'.
4To be formed from various things or people (usually used in the passive).general
Được tạo nên từ nhiều thứ hoặc nhiều người khác nhau (thường dùng ở thể bị động).
“The committee is composed of people from different departments.”
“Ủy ban bao gồm các thành viên từ các phòng ban khác nhau.”
- The metropolitan area is composed of New York City and parts of New Jersey.
- Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen.
- The jury was composed mainly of local residents.
Cấu trúc 'be composed of' rất phổ biến trong các kỳ thi IELTS/TOEIC. Luôn dùng 'of', không dùng 'from'.
5To manage to control your feelings or expression, especially after being upset or angry.emotions
Cố gắng kiềm chế cảm xúc hoặc nét mặt, đặc biệt là sau khi buồn bã hoặc tức giận.
“Emma frowned, making an effort to compose herself.”
“Emma nhíu mày, cố gắng lấy lại sự bình tĩnh.”
- He took a deep breath to compose himself before going on stage.
- It took her a few minutes to compose her features into a mask of indifference.
- Try to compose yourself before you speak to the manager.
Cụm 'compose oneself' mang nghĩa 'trấn tĩnh lại'. Phải luôn có đại từ phản thân (myself, yourself, v.v.).
6To arrange the elements of a photograph or other picture.arts culture
Sắp xếp bố cục cho một bức ảnh hoặc tranh vẽ.
“The photographer took a long time to compose the shot.”
“Nhiếp ảnh gia đã mất nhiều thời gian để dàn dựng bố cục cho bức ảnh.”
- She carefully composed the still life on the table.
- He learned how to compose a balanced landscape painting.
Trong nhiếp ảnh và hội họa, 'compose' liên quan đến 'composition' (bố cục).
7To arrange types in a composing stick for printing; to typeset.technical
Sắp chữ để in ấn.
“The text was composed by hand in the old print shop.”
“Văn bản đã được sắp chữ bằng tay trong xưởng in cũ.”
- The typesetter began to compose the front page.
Đây là nghĩa cổ hoặc chuyên ngành kỹ thuật in ấn, hiện nay ít dùng trong đời thường.
Word bank
Grammar & forms
Grammar
- transitive
- intransitive
Inflections
- third_person_singular
- composes
- past_simple
- composed
- past_participle
- composed
- present_participle
- composing
Word family
- composed, compositeadjective
- composedlyadverb
- composition, composer, composurenoun
Usage patterns
- compose something
- compose yourself
- be composed of something
Avoid mistakes
Common mistakes
The cake is composed from flour, sugar, and eggs.
The cake is composed of flour, sugar, and eggs.
The correct preposition after 'composed' is 'of'.
Ten members comprise the committee.
Ten members compose the committee.
Strictly, parts 'compose' the whole; the whole 'comprises' the parts.
She tried to compose her angry.
She tried to compose herself.
When referring to controlling emotions, use the reflexive pronoun (myself, herself, etc.).
The team composes of five experts.
The team is composed of five experts.
'Compose of' is almost always used in the passive voice.
He compused a new song.
He composed a new song.
Check spelling: it is 'compose', not 'compuse'.
Don't confuse with
- comprise
to consist of; to have as parts
“The house comprises seven rooms.”
Use 'compose' for parts forming a whole (Parts compose the whole) and 'comprise' for the whole containing parts (The whole comprises parts).
- constitute
to be the parts that form something
“Twelve months constitute a year.”
Constitute is a very close synonym for 'compose' when meaning 'to form'.
Academic collocations
Words that pair with "compose" in formal and academic writing
- verb
- be composed ofcarefully composespecially compose
- adjective
- newly composedbeautifully composed
- noun
- committeemusicletterspeech
- preposition
- of
In context
Real-world examples
- arts culture
Trinh Cong Son composed many famous love songs.
Trịnh Công Sơn đã sáng tác nhiều bản tình ca nổi tiếng.
Trinh Cong Son is a legendary figure in Vietnamese music, making the term 'compose' (sáng tác) highly relevant in this context.
- business
The board of directors is composed of seven members.
Hội đồng quản trị bao gồm bảy thành viên.
In formal Vietnamese business documents, the structure of an organization is often described using 'bao gồm' or 'được cấu thành bởi'.
- academic
Please compose a formal email to the department head.
Vui lòng soạn một email trang trọng gửi cho trưởng khoa.
Vietnamese students are taught to 'soạn thảo' (carefully compose) documents when communicating with superiors.
- daily life
She took a deep breath to compose herself before the interview.
Cô ấy hít một hơi thật sâu để trấn tĩnh lại trước buổi phỏng vấn.
Maintaining 'điềm tĩnh' (composure) is a valued trait in Vietnamese social and professional interactions.
Notes for Vietnamese speakers
- In Vietnamese music culture, 'nhạc sĩ' (musician/composer) is a highly respected title. 'Sáng tác' is the standard term for the creative process of composing.
- When 'compose' refers to forming a group, Vietnamese speakers often use 'bao gồm' (include) or 'được cấu tạo từ' (constituted from), depending on the level of formality.
- The concept of 'composing oneself' aligns with the Vietnamese value of emotional restraint in public.
Etymology
Late 14th century: from Old French 'composer', from Latin 'componere' (to put together), influenced by 'pausare' (to cease, rest). The original meaning was 'to put together' or 'to arrange'. (Source: Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology)
Exam levels
IELTS
6.5
CEFR
B2
TOEIC
705-800
More in Vietnamese
- Từ điển Lạc Việt (Laban Dictionary)
Từ điển trực tuyến phổ biến nhất cho người Việt, cung cấp nhiều ví dụ và ngữ cảnh.
- TFlat Dictionary (Soha)
Nguồn tra cứu từ vựng chi tiết với các cụm từ liên quan và từ đồng nghĩa.