Definition

Adverb: At least; used to indicate the minimum amount, quantity, or degree required or possible.

Usage

• Indicating a Minimum Quantity or Amount: Used to specify the smallest number or lowest limit in a statement.
  • Hãy uống ít nhứt hai lít nước mỗi ngày. (Drink at least two liters of water every day.)
• Indicating a Minimum Requirement or Condition: Used to state the bare minimum needed for something.
  • Để qua môn, bạn cần điểm ít nhứt là 5. (To pass the course, you need a score of at least 5.)
• Making a Conservative Estimate or Statement: Used to soften a statement or to express a minimum expectation, often when the actual amount might be higher.
  • Chuyến đi sẽ mất ít nhứt ba giờ. (The trip will take at least three hours.)

Examples

• (I exercise for at least 30 minutes every day.)
• (The project needs at least five volunteers.)
• (He is at least one meter eighty tall.)

Advanced Usage

• 'Ít nhứt là...': This is a common, slightly more emphatic form, directly translating to "at the very least..." or "at least...".
  • Hãy đến đúng giờ, hoặc ít nhứt là gọi điện thoại báo trước. (Please arrive on time, or at the very least call ahead.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ít nhất: This is the more common modern spelling in contemporary Vietnamese. "Ít nhứt" is an older or regional spelling but carries the exact same meaning and usage.
  • Tôi cần ít nhất hai ngày để hoàn thành. (I need at least two days to finish.)
• Tối thiểu (Adjective/Adverb): Minimum; minimal. This is a more formal synonym often used in official, technical, or academic contexts.
  • Yêu cầu tối thiểu là phải có bằng đại học. (The minimum requirement is a university degree.)

Synonyms

• Tối thiểu: Minimum (more formal).
• Từng ấy: That much (as a minimum). (You have to pay that much money [as a minimum].)

Related Phrases

• Nhiều nhứt / Nhiều nhất: At most; the opposite concept, indicating a maximum limit.
  • Bạn có thể mượn nhiều nhất ba cuốn sách. (You can borrow at most three books.)

adverb

1. at least
   • cô phải đọc ít nhứt là một cuốn sách mỗi tuần lễ
     You should read at least one book every week