con dại
Definition
- Noun:
- A young child, especially one who is still too young and dependent: Refers to a child who is still very young, not yet independent, and requires full care and protection from parents.
- A child who died young: In a more specific and often sorrowful context, it can refer to a child who passed away at a very young age.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Chị ấy phải một mình nuôi mấy đứa con dại. (She has to raise several young children alone.)
- Nghĩ đến đứa con dại, lòng cha mẹ đau như cắt. (Thinking of the child who died young, the parents' hearts ache terribly.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "con dại" often carries an emotional weight, emphasizing the vulnerability, innocence, and complete dependence of the child. It is frequently used in contexts that evoke pity, responsibility, or grief.
- It can be part of the common phrase "con dại cái mang", which is an idiom meaning "the child's folly is the parent's burden" or "parents are responsible for their children's actions."
Variants and Related Words
- Trẻ dại (noun): A young child, synonym for a very young, innocent child.
- Con thơ (noun): A young child, often with a tender connotation.
- Con nhỏ (noun): A little child (can be neutral or affectionate depending on context).
Synonyms
- Trẻ em (noun): Children (general term).
- Đứa bé (noun): A child, a kid.
Related Idioms
- "Con dại cái mang": An idiom meaning parents bear the responsibility for their young children's mistakes or misfortunes.
- Nó phá nhà hàng xóm, nhưng con dại cái mang, bố mẹ nó phải đền. (He vandalized the neighbor's house, but as the parents are responsible for the child, his parents had to compensate.)