Definition

1. Verb:
   • To leave unfinished; to abandon something in an incomplete state: The primary meaning of "bỏ dở" is to stop doing something before it is completed, resulting in an unfinished task, project, or activity.
   • To discontinue; to give up on partway through: It implies a cessation of effort or attention, often suddenly or without proper conclusion.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Anh ấy đã bỏ dở việc học đại học. (He left his university studies unfinished.)
  • Đừng bỏ dở công việc quan trọng như vậy. (Don't abandon such important work halfway.)
  • Cuốn tiểu thuyết vẫn còn bỏ dở trên bàn. (The novel was left unfinished on the desk.)

Advanced Usage

• "bỏ dở giữa chừng": to stop halfway; to quit in the middle. This phrase emphasizes the action of stopping at a midpoint.
  • Dự án bị bỏ dở giữa chừng vì thiếu kinh phí. (The project was abandoned halfway due to a lack of funding.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bỏ ngang (v): to quit abruptly; to drop suddenly. It is a close synonym, often used interchangeably.

  • Cô ấy bỏ ngang buổi họp. (She walked out of the meeting abruptly.)

• Dở dang (adj): unfinished; incomplete. This describes the state of something that has been left incomplete.

  • Căn nhà dở dang sau nhiều năm. (The house remained unfinished after many years.)

Synonyms

• Abandon: to cease support or look after.
• Discontinue: to stop doing or providing something.
• Quit: to leave or stop an activity.

Related Idioms

• Đầu voi đuôi chuột: Literally "an elephant's head with a mouse's tail"; meaning to start something grand but finish poorly or leave it incomplete. This idiom describes a situation similar to "bỏ dở" where a promising start is not followed through.
  • Kế hoạch của họ thật là đầu voi đuôi chuột. (Their plan was a grand start but a pitiful finish.)

1. Leave unfinished