Definition

1. Noun:
   • Stepfather: A man who is married to one's mother but is not one's biological father. The term often carries a cultural connotation of a distant or potentially harsh relationship, differing from the more neutral "bố dượng."

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Cậu bé không thích cha ghẻ mới của mình. (The boy does not like his new stepfather.)
  • Dù là cha ghẻ, ông ấy vẫn đối xử với các con rất tốt. (Even though he is a stepfather, he treats the children very well.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "cha ghẻ" can be used metaphorically to describe any authority figure who is perceived as unfairly strict, unkind, or not genuinely caring.
  • Ông giám đốc mới nghiêm khắc như một cha ghẻ. (The new director is as strict as a stepfather.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bố dượng (n): A more modern and neutral term for stepfather, with fewer negative connotations.

  • Bố dượng tôi rất hiền. (My stepfather is very gentle.)

• Mẹ kế (n): Stepmother. The female counterpart to "cha ghẻ," often sharing similar cultural connotations.

  • Câu chuyện về bà mẹ kế độc ác. (The story about the cruel stepmother.)

Synonyms

• Stepfather: A man married to one's mother.
• Stepparent: A more general term for a parent who is not one's biological parent.

Related Idioms

• Con chồng, con vợ, con cha ghẻ, con mẹ kế: Refers to the complex and often difficult relationships within a blended family.
  • Gia đình đó đầy rẫy chuyện con chồng, con vợ, con cha ghẻ, con mẹ kế. (That family is full of stories about stepchildren and stepparents.)

noun

1. stepfather