Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Discontinuous / Interrupted: Describes something that is not continuous, with breaks or gaps in its sequence, flow, or structure.
   • Fragmentary / Broken: Refers to something that is broken into separate parts or pieces, lacking coherence or a smooth connection.

2. Verb (less common):

   • To become discontinuous / To break off: The process of becoming interrupted or broken into fragments.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Dòng điện bị đứt đoạn. (The electric current is discontinuous/interrupted.)
  • Câu chuyện của anh ấy nghe rất đứt đoạn. (His story sounds very fragmentary.)
  • Sự phát triển đứt đoạn của nền kinh tế. (The discontinuous development of the economy.)

• Verb:

  • Mạch tín hiệu đột nhiên đứt đoạn. (The signal circuit suddenly broke off.)

Advanced Usage

• Used in technical, scientific, and formal contexts to describe processes, signals, data, or narratives that are not smooth or continuous.
• Often implies a negative quality, suggesting inefficiency, lack of flow, or impaired function.

Variants and Related Words

• Đứt (v): to break, to snap. Often refers to a physical break.

  • Sợi dây bị đứt. (The string broke.)

• Đoạn (n): a segment, a section, a part.

  • Đoạn văn này khó hiểu. (This paragraph is difficult to understand.)

• Gián đoạn (adj/v): to interrupt, to discontinue; interrupted. A close synonym with a similar meaning.

  • Công việc bị gián đoạn. (The work was interrupted.)

Synonyms

• Interrupted: Having the continuity broken.
• Discontinuous: Not forming a continuous sequence.
• Fragmentary: Consisting of small, disconnected parts.
• Broken: Having gaps; not continuous.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Nói chuyện đứt đoạn: To speak in a halting, fragmented manner.

  • Cậu bé nói chuyện đứt đoạn vì xúc động. (The boy spoke haltingly because he was emotional.)

• Mạch đứt đoạn: A broken circuit (literal); a broken train of thought (figurative).

  • Tôi không theo kịp vì mạch suy nghĩ của cô ấy quá đứt đoạn. (I couldn't keep up because her train of thought was too disjointed.)