Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Old (in age or condition): Describes an object, person, or concept that has existed or been used for a long time, often showing signs of wear or age. It does not inherently imply antiquity, but rather a state of being not new.
   • Former / Previous: Indicates something that belonged to a past time, situation, or relationship and is no longer current or primary.
   • Outdated / Old-fashioned: Refers to styles, methods, or ideas that are no longer modern or in common use.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Tôi mua một chiếc xe cũ. (I bought an old car.)
  • Đây là ngôi nhà cũ của gia đình tôi. (This is my family's old house.)
  • Anh ấy là một người bạn cũ. (He is an old friend.)
  • Những tư tưởng cũ đó không còn phù hợp nữa. (Those old ideas are no longer suitable.)

Advanced Usage

• "cũ kỹ": Very old, worn-out, shabby.

  • Căn phòng trọ có đồ đạc cũ kỹ. (The rented room has shabby furniture.)

• "cũ mèm": Extremely old and worn (colloquial).

  • Quyển sách này cũ mèm rồi. (This book is extremely old and tattered.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cũ rích (adj): Very old, antiquated (often with a negative connotation).

  • Chiếc máy tính cũ rích đó chạy rất chậm. (That antiquated computer runs very slowly.)

• Cũ nát (adj): Old and broken, dilapidated.

  • Họ sống trong một ngôi nhà cũ nát. (They live in a dilapidated house.)

Synonyms

• Old: Having existed for a long time.
• Used / Second-hand: Previously owned or employed.
• Former: Of an earlier time.
• Outdated: No longer current or modern.

Related Idioms

• Ngựa quen đường cũ: Literally "A horse familiar with the old road." Means to fall back into old habits or patterns.

  • Anh ta hứa sẽ thay đổi, nhưng rồi lại ngựa quen đường cũ. (He promised to change, but then fell back into old habits.)

• Ma cũ bắt nạt ma mới: Literally "An old ghost bullies a new ghost." Describes a situation where an old-timer takes advantage of or bullies a newcomer.

  • Ở công ty mới, cô ấy gặp phải tình huống ma cũ bắt nạt ma mới. (At the new company, she encountered a situation where old-timers bullied the newcomer.)

adj

1. Old; ancient; second-hand
   • sách cũ
     Second-hand book
   • bạn cũ
     An old friend