Definition

1. Verb:
   • To put a final stop to (a writing): To end a piece of writing, especially formally or definitively, by placing a final punctuation mark. This is the literal meaning.
   • To end, to conclude, to put a stop to: To bring something to a complete and definitive end, often used figuratively for events, periods, or situations.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Sau khi viết xong bức thư, cô ấy chấm hết. (After finishing the letter, she put a final stop to it.)
  • Hội nghị đã chính thức chấm hết vào chiều nay. (The conference officially ended this afternoon.)
  • Anh ấy tuyên bố chấm hết mọi tranh cãi. (He declared an end to all arguments.)

Advanced Usage

• "chấm hết cho...": to put an end to..., to mark the end of...
  • Thất bại đó chấm hết cho sự nghiệp của ông ta. (That failure marked the end of his career.)
• Used in formal announcements or declarations to emphasize finality.
  • Vậy là, mọi chuyện đến đây chấm hết. (And so, everything ends here.)

Variants and Related Words

• Chấm (verb): to dot, to mark with a dot; to grade/examine (papers); to stop briefly.
• Hết (verb/adjective): to finish, to be used up; all, entire.
• Kết thúc (verb): to finish, to conclude. (A close synonym, but less emphatic about absolute finality than "chấm hết").
• Chấm dứt (verb): to cease, to terminate. (A very close synonym, often interchangeable with "chấm hết" in figurative use).

Synonyms

• Kết thúc: to conclude, to finish.
• Chấm dứt: to cease, to terminate.
• Kết liễu: to put an end to (often used for life or suffering).
• Chấm: to stop (less formal and final).

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Chấm hết câu chuyện: to end the story.
  • Hãy chấm hết câu chuyện buồn này tại đây. (Let's end this sad story here.)

Related Idioms

• "Vạch đường chấm hết": to draw the finish line; to set a definitive endpoint.
  • Chúng ta cần vạch đường chấm hết cho dự án này. (We need to draw the finish line for this project.)
• Often used in the set phrase "Thế là hết! Chấm hết!": That's it! The end! (Emphasizing finality, often used in storytelling or arguments).

1. To put a final stop to (a writing)