Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Careful and thorough: Showing serious attention to detail and a desire to avoid mistakes or risks. It describes a person's character or the manner in which an action is performed.
   • Prudent and cautious: Acting with or showing careful forethought and judiciousness.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Anh ấy là một người rất cẩn trọng. (He is a very careful and prudent person.)
  • Cô ấy cân nhắc mọi quyết định một cách cẩn trọng. (She considers every decision carefully and thoroughly.)
  • Hãy cẩn trọng với những lời hứa đó. (Be cautious about those promises.)

Advanced Usage

• "sự cẩn trọng": (noun) carefulness, prudence, caution.

  • Sự cẩn trọng là điều cần thiết trong công việc này. (Prudence is necessary in this job.)

• Used in formal or written contexts to emphasize a high degree of diligence and seriousness.

Variants and Related Words

• Thận trọng (adj): cautious, circumspect. Often used interchangeably with cẩn trọng, though thận trọng can be slightly more common in everyday speech.

  • Lái xe thận trọng trong trời mưa. (Drive cautiously in the rain.)

• Cẩn thận (adj): careful. A more common and general synonym for being careful.

  • Hãy cẩn thận với chiếc cốc đó. (Be careful with that cup.)

Synonyms

• Careful: Taking pains to do something correctly or avoid damage.
• Prudent: Acting with or showing care and thought for the future.
• Meticulous: Showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise.
• Circumspect: Wary and unwilling to take risks.

Related Idioms

• Cẩn trọng như bưng bát nước đầy: As careful as carrying a full bowl of water. This idiom emphasizes extreme caution and attentiveness.
  • Anh ấy làm việc cẩn trọng như bưng bát nước đầy. (He works as carefully as if he were carrying a full bowl of water.)

1. Serious and careful