Definition

Adverb: - More or less, to some extent: Indicates an indefinite or approximate degree, amount, or level. It suggests that something is present or true, but not in an absolute or precisely measurable way.

Usage

• Position: Typically placed before a verb, adjective, or another adverb to modify it.
• Function: Used to soften a statement, making it less absolute and more nuanced. It often implies a moderate, unspecified, or partial degree.

Usage Examples

• Modifying a verb:
  • Tôi ít nhiều hiểu vấn đề này. (I more or less understand this issue.)
  • Cô ấy ít nhiều có ảnh hưởng đến quyết định. (She to some extent has influence on the decision.)
• Modifying an adjective:
  • Căn phòng ít nhiều lộn xộn. (The room is somewhat messy.)
  • Kết quả là ít nhiều khả quan. (The result is fairly optimistic.)
• Modifying an adverb:
  • Anh ấy chạy ít nhiều nhanh hơn tôi. (He runs a little faster than me.)

Advanced Usage

• "Ít nhiều gì...": This structure is used to rhetorically downplay or dismiss something, often implying "at least something" or "whatever little there is."
  • Cũng phải có trách nhiệm ít nhiều gì chứ. (You should have some responsibility, at least.)
• Used to express a concession or acknowledgment before making a contrasting point.
  • Ít nhiều thì tôi cũng đã cố gắng. (At least to some degree, I have tried.)

Variants and Related Words

• Đôi chút (adv): A little bit, slightly. Often interchangeable with but can sound slightly more literary or formal.
  • Tôi cảm thấy đôi chút mệt mỏi. (I feel a little tired.)
• Phần nào (adv): Partly, to some degree. Emphasizes the partial nature more than .
  • Tôi đồng ý với anh phần nào. (I agree with you partly.)
• Khá (adv): Quite, fairly. Indicates a more noticeable or significant degree than .
  • Cô ấy hát khá hay. (She sings quite well.)

Synonyms

• Hơi hơi: A little bit, slightly (colloquial).
• Một chút: A little bit.
• Tương đối: Relatively, comparatively.

Related Phrases

• Dù ít hay nhiều: No matter how much or how little.
  • Dù ít hay nhiều, sự đóng góp nào cũng đáng quý. (No matter how much or how little, any contribution is valuable.)
• Nhiều ít: A reversed form sometimes used for stylistic variation, meaning "more or less."
  • Ai cũng có lo lắng nhiều ít. (Everyone has worries, more or less.)

Notes on Meaning

• Indefinite Quantity/Quality: The core meaning revolves around an indefinite and non-zero amount. It is never used for "none" or "completely."
• Nuance vs. Precision: It is a word of nuance, not precision. It avoids stating an exact figure or making a strong, definitive claim.
• Common Collocations: Often used with verbs of knowing (), having (), affecting (), and adjectives describing states or qualities.

adv

1. a little