Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Infantile, childish: Describes a state of being immature, naive, or characteristic of a very young child, often implying a lack of development, sophistication, or seriousness that is expected of an adult or a mature entity.
   • Puerile: Can also describe ideas, behaviors, or remarks that are silly, trivial, or foolishly simple.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Nhận xét ấu trĩ. (A childish / infantile remark.)
  • Cách xử sự ấu trĩ. (Infantile behaviour.)
  • Thời kỳ ấu trĩ của một đảng phái chính trị. (The infantile stage of a political party.)
  • Suy nghĩ đó thật ấu trĩ. (That thought is so puerile.)

Advanced Usage

• Political/Philosophical Context: Often used in political or ideological discourse (e.g., "tả khuynh ấu trĩ" - infantile leftism) to criticize ideas or movements deemed naive, overly simplistic, or not grounded in practical reality.
• Organizational Context: Can describe an immature or poorly developed stage of an organization.
  • Tổ chức ấu trĩ. (A puerile / infantile organization.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ấu trĩ tả khuynh (n): A compound term meaning "infantile leftism," a specific political concept.
• Trò trẻ con / Trò ấu trĩ (n): Child's play; a trivial or silly game/activity. (Note: This is a related noun phrase, not the adjective 'ấu trĩ' itself).

Synonyms

• Non nớt: Immature, inexperienced.
• Ngây thơ: Naive, innocent (can be less pejorative than 'ấu trĩ').
• Trẻ con: Childish, kid-like.
• Khờ dại: Foolish, simple-minded.

Antonyms

• Chín chắn: Mature, sensible.
• Trưởng thành: Grown-up, adult, mature.
• Sâu sắc: Profound, deep.

Notes on Usage

• Connotation: The word 'ấu trĩ' is almost always pejorative. It carries a strong negative judgment, criticizing something or someone for a lack of maturity that is inappropriate for the context. It is stronger and more critical than simply saying "trẻ con" (childish).
• Formality: It is a formal, literary, or academic term, commonly used in analytical, political, or critical writing and speech.

adj

1. Infantile, childish
   • nhận xét ấu trĩ
     a childish remark
   • cách xử sự ấu trĩ
     an infantile behaviour
   • trò trẻ con, trò ấu trĩ
     child's play