Definition

Adverb: - Perhaps, maybe: Used to express uncertainty or possibility about a future event or situation. It indicates that something is not certain but could happen.

Usage Examples

• Adverb:
  • Chưa chừng anh ấy sẽ đến muộn. (Perhaps he will be late.)
  • Chưa chừng ngày mai trời sẽ nắng. (Maybe it will be sunny tomorrow.)
  • Chúng ta nên mang theo ô, chưa chừng trời mưa. (We should bring an umbrella; perhaps it will rain.)

Advanced Usage

• "chưa chừng... lại...": A common structure to emphasize a surprising or unexpected possibility.
  • Chưa chừng cô ấy lại đồng ý giúp chúng ta. (Who knows, she might actually agree to help us.)
• Used to suggest a cautious consideration or to avoid absolute statements.
  • Đừng vội kết luận, chưa chừng mọi chuyện sẽ ổn thôi. (Don't jump to conclusions; perhaps everything will be fine.)

Variants and Related Words

• Có lẽ (adv): Perhaps, probably. (A more common synonym with a similar level of uncertainty.)
• Biết đâu (adv): Who knows, maybe. (Often used to introduce a hopeful or speculative possibility.)
• Không chừng (adv): Possibly, perhaps. (A near-identical variant in meaning and usage to "chưa chừng".)

Synonyms

• Có thể: Could, may (expresses possibility).
• Hình như: Seems like, apparently (expresses a weaker assumption based on appearance).

Related Phrases

• "Ai mà biết được / Biết đâu được": Who knows. (A rhetorical phrase expressing similar uncertainty.)
  • Ai mà biết được, chưa chừng chúng ta sẽ thắng. (Who knows, perhaps we will win.)

Related Idioms

• "Chưa biết chừng": Literally "not yet know possibly," used interchangeably with "chưa chừng" to mean "it's still possible that..."
  • Chưa biết chừng họ đã thay đổi ý định. (It's still possible that they have changed their minds.)

1. Perhaps, maybe