chớ chết
Definition
- Interjection:
- Watch out! Be careful!: An exclamation used to warn someone of imminent danger, trouble, or a negative consequence. It expresses a strong sense of caution or alarm.
- Heaven forbid!: An expression used to emphasize the undesirability or severity of a hypothetical situation, often implying "that would be terrible."
Usage Examples
- Interjection:
- Ông ấy biết thì chớ chết! (If he finds out, watch out! / Heaven forbid he finds out!)
- Chớ chết! Cái cây sắp đổ! (Watch out! The tree is about to fall!)
- Làm hỏng việc này thì chớ chết với sếp. (If you mess this up, you're in big trouble with the boss.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is often used in a conditional structure ("...thì chớ chết") to warn of the dire consequences of a specific action or event.
- Mà anh nói ra thì chớ chết! (But if you tell, that would be disastrous!)
- It can be used alone as a standalone exclamation of warning.
- Chớ chết! Xe kia! (Look out! That car!)
Variants and Related Words
- Chết (verb): to die. The core meaning of "chết" (death) intensifies the warning in "chớ chết," implying a consequence as severe as disaster or ruin.
- Coi chừng (verb phrase): to be careful, to watch out. A more standard and less emphatic warning.
- Nguy hiểm (adjective/noun): dangerous/danger. Describes the state of peril.
Synonyms
- Cẩn thận!: Be careful! (A general, common warning).
- Gare! (from French, used historically in Vietnamese): Watch out! (Reflects the historical reference).
Related Phrases
- Thì chết / là chết: (Then) it's over / we're done for. Used to state a bad outcome.
- Lỡ tay thì chết. (If I slip up, it's over.)
- Chết chắc: Surely dead / doomed. Emphasizes certainty of a bad outcome.
Related Idioms
- Chết đi sống lại: To go through a life-and-death situation; to have a very close call.
- Suýt tai nạn, chết đi sống lại. (I almost had an accident; it was a close call.)
- Chết đứng: To be stunned, shocked, or petrified (figuratively).
- Nghe tin ấy tôi chết đứng. (Hearing that news, I was stunned.)