Definition

1. Noun:

   • Notes; a written record: A short piece of writing that records facts, impressions, observations, or experiences, often in an informal or personal style.
   • Memoir; a brief account: A descriptive or narrative piece focusing on specific events, travels, or periods, based on the author's personal perspective.

2. Noun (by context):

   • Minutes; a formal record: In legal or official contexts, it can refer to a concise written record of proceedings, such as a court transcript.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Nhà văn để lại nhiều cuốn bút kí giá trị. (The writer left behind many valuable volumes of notes/memoirs.)
  • Cô ấy viết bút kí về chuyến đi đến Nhật Bản. (She wrote a travelogue about her trip to Japan.)
  • Bút kí phiên tòa đã được lưu trữ cẩn thận. (The court minutes were carefully archived.)

Advanced Usage

• "bút kí du lịch": travelogue; travel notes.

  • Tác phẩm đó là một bút kí du lịch hấp dẫn về vùng Amazon. (That work is a fascinating travelogue about the Amazon region.)

• "bút kí chiến trường": war memoirs; battlefield notes.

  • Những bút kí chiến trường của ông mang tính chân thực cao. (His battlefield notes are highly authentic.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ghi chép (v/n): to take notes; notes. This is a more general term for the act of recording or the notes themselves.

  • Anh ấy ghi chép lại tất cả các bài giảng. (He takes notes on all the lectures.)

• Hồi kí (n): autobiography; memoirs. This refers specifically to a narrative of one's own life.

  • Hồi kí của tổng thống đã được xuất bản. (The president's memoirs have been published.)

Synonyms

• Notes: brief written records.
• Memoir: a historical account written from personal knowledge.
• Chronicle: a factual written account of events in order of time.
• Journal: a daily record of news and events.

Related Idioms

Note: The word "bút kí" itself is not commonly used in fixed idiomatic expressions in Vietnamese. Its usage is primarily literal, referring to the written form.