Definition

1. Interjection:
   • An exclamation expressing strong emotion: "chao ôi" is used to express sudden, intense feelings such as surprise, regret, pity, sorrow, or disappointment. It is an emotional outburst, similar to "oh dear," "alas," or "heavens."

Usage Examples

• Interjection:
  • Chao ôi! Sao mà nhớ nhà thế! (Oh dear! How homesick I am!)
  • Chao ôi! Mất hết cả rồi! (Alas! Everything is lost!)
  • Chao ôi, tôi quên mất chìa khóa ở nhà rồi. (Oh dear, I forgot my keys at home.)
  • Chao ôi, cô ấy trông mệt mỏi quá. (Oh my, she looks so tired.)

Advanced Usage

• "Chao ôi" is often used at the beginning of a sentence to immediately convey the speaker's emotional state regarding the following statement. It sets a tone of lament, shock, or deep feeling.
  • Chao ôi, thời gian trôi qua nhanh quá. (Heavens, time passes so quickly.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ôi (interj): A shorter, more general exclamation meaning "oh" or "ah," which can express a wider range of emotions from joy to pain.
  • Ôi, đẹp quá! (Oh, so beautiful!)
• Trời ơi (interj): A very common exclamation meaning "oh my god" or "oh heavens," expressing shock or surprise. It is often stronger and more colloquial than "chao ôi."
  • Trời ơi, tôi không thể tin được! (Oh my god, I can't believe it!)

Synonyms

• Than ôi (interj): Alas, woe is me. A more literary or formal synonym expressing grief or regret.
• Hỡi ơi (interj): An exclamation of sorrow or lament, often used in poetic or dramatic contexts.
• Ôi thôi (interj): An exclamation often signaling resignation, disappointment, or the end of something.

Related Phrases

• Chao ôi là chao: An extended, more emphatic form of "chao ôi," intensifying the expressed emotion.
  • Chao ôi là chao! Chuyện gì đang xảy ra vậy? (Oh dear, oh dear! What is happening?)

Related Idioms

• While "chao ôi" itself is an exclamation and not typically part of a fixed idiom, it frequently appears in expressive, lamenting phrases.
  • Chao ôi, đời là thế đấy! (Oh dear, such is life!)

1. Heigh ho, oh dear, alas
   • chao ôi! sao mà nhớ nhà thế!
     oh dear, how homesick I am!