công phu
Definitions
Adjective:
- Requiring great effort, meticulous, painstaking: Describes something that is done with extreme care, attention to detail, and a significant investment of time and effort.
- Elaborate, intricate: Describes something that is complex and finely detailed in its construction or execution.
Noun:
- Great effort, painstaking labor: Refers to the substantial time, care, and hard work invested in creating or doing something.
Usage Examples
Adjective:
- Bức tranh thêu này rất công phu. (This embroidered painting is very elaborate.)
- Anh ấy đã có một sự chuẩn bị công phu cho kỳ thi. (He made meticulous preparations for the exam.)
- Đó là một công trình nghiên cứu công phu. (That is a painstaking research project.)
Noun (less common, often in formal/literary contexts):
- Tác phẩm này thể hiện nhiều công phu của người nghệ nhân. (This artwork embodies the great effort of the artisan.)
Advanced Usage
"dày công" / "tốn nhiều công phu": To put in a lot of effort, to be labor-intensive.
- Việc phục chế bức tranh cổ tốn rất nhiều công phu. (Restoring the ancient painting required immense effort.)
Used to describe abstract concepts like planning or strategy:
- Kế hoạch công phu của đối thủ đã bị bại lộ. (The opponent's elaborate plan was exposed.)
Variants and Related Words
- Công (n): Work, labor. A root word in "công phu".
- Phu (n, archaic/literary): Man, laborer. Combined with "công", it emphasizes manual or strenuous effort.
- Tỉ mỉ (adj): Meticulous, careful. A close synonym, but "tỉ mỉ" focuses more on attention to detail, while "công phu" emphasizes the scale of effort.
- Kỳ công (n): Feat, remarkable effort. Often used for outstanding achievements.
- Đó thực sự là một kỳ công. (That is truly a remarkable feat.)
Synonyms
- Tinh xảo: Exquisite, refined (emphasizes fine craftsmanship).
- Kỹ lưỡng: Thorough, careful.
- Chu đáo: Thoughtful, considerate (for preparations).
Related Phrases
- Công phu, nghệ thuật: A phrase highlighting that something is both labor-intensive and artistic.
- Nghề làm gốm ở Bát Tràng là một nghề công phu, nghệ thuật. (Pottery making in Bat Trang is a labor-intensive and artistic craft.)
Related Idioms
- "Có công mài sắt, có ngày nên kim": Literally "With effort in grinding iron, one day it becomes a needle." Meaning: Persistence and hard work lead to success. This idiom shares the core concept of "công" (effort) found in "công phu".