Definition

Noun: 1. A child, a kid: A young human being, typically referring to a boy or girl who is not yet an adult. It is a common, somewhat informal term. 2. A little one, a young child: Often used to refer to a very young child or toddler.

Usage

• General Reference to a Child: Used as a general noun to refer to a child, often when the speaker does not know the child personally or is referring to a child in a descriptive way.
• Informal/Neutral Tone: The word is neutral but common in everyday speech. It can sometimes carry a slight nuance of detachment or generality compared to more affectionate terms like .

Examples

• (There is a child playing in the park.)
• Đứa bé đó rất ngoan và lễ phép. (That child is very well-behaved and polite.)
• (I saw a little kid crying for his/her mother.)

Advanced Usage

• Used with Demonstratives: Often paired with demonstrative adjectives like (this), (that) to specify which child.
  • Hãy giúp đứa bé này. (Please help this child.)
• Used with Possessives: Can be used with possessive markers like to indicate relationship, though it's more common to say (my child) for one's own.
  • Đây là đồ chơi của đứa bé hàng xóm. (This is the toy of the neighbor's child.)

Variants and Related Words

• Em bé (noun): Baby, infant. This term is generally more affectionate and common for very young children.
• Trẻ em (noun): Children (plural, general). This is a more formal and collective term.
• Đứa trẻ (noun): Child, kid. Very similar in meaning and usage to , perhaps slightly more common in some contexts.
• Con nít (noun): Kid, little one (Southern Vietnamese, informal).

Synonyms

• Trẻ con (noun): Child, kid (slightly more colloquial).
• Nhóc (noun): Kid, brat (very informal, can be affectionate or slightly derogatory depending on context).
• Đứa nhỏ (noun): Little one, kid (similar to ).

Notes on Meaning

• Gender: While the reference context specifies "a boy," is generally gender-neutral in modern usage. It can refer to a child of any gender. The gender is often clarified by context or additional words (e.g., for a boy, for a girl).
• Nuance: It can imply a degree of anonymity or generality. Saying (a child) often means "some child I don't know" or "a child in a story," whereas terms like (my child) are specific and personal.

noun

1. a boy; a child