cố
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- Great-grandparent: A person who is the parent of one's grandparent.
- Deceased (used as a title): A respectful title placed before the name or title of a person who has died, often someone of high status or office.
- Elderly person (archaic/respectful): A term of respect for an old person.
- Catholic priest (historical/regional): A term of address for a Catholic priest, especially of foreign nationality, used historically in Vietnam.
Verb:
- To try; to strive; to endeavor: To make a conscious and determined effort to do something.
- To mortgage; to pawn: To pledge property as security for a loan.
Adverb:
- Intentionally; deliberately; with effort: Used to indicate that an action is done with conscious will or extra effort.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Cố nội tôi là một nhà giáo. (My paternal great-grandfather was a teacher.)
- Chúng tôi luôn nhớ ơn cố Chủ tịch Hồ Chí Minh. (We are always grateful to the late President Ho Chi Minh.)
- Verb:
- Tôi sẽ cố hoàn thành bài tập trước tối nay. (I will try to finish the homework before tonight.)
- Cố đừng quên nhé! (Try not to forget!)
- Gia đình đã phải cố mảnh đất để có tiền chữa bệnh. (The family had to mortgage the land to get money for treatment.)
- Adverb:
- Anh ấy cố làm ngơ trước lời trêu chọc. (He deliberately ignored the teasing.)
Advanced Usage
- "cố nhân": An old friend or acquaintance from the past.
- Gặp lại cố nhân sau bao năm thật là cảm động. (Meeting an old friend after so many years is truly moving.)
- "cố sự": A story or tale, often with a historical or traditional context.
- Cuốn sách ghi chép nhiều cố sự dân gian. (The book records many folk tales.)
Variants and Related Words
- Cố gắng (v/n): To try hard; effort. This is the most common and modern compound for "to try."
- Hãy cố gắng hết sức mình! (Try your best!)
- Cố chấp (adj): Stubborn; obstinate.
- Anh ấy quá cố chấp, không chịu nghe ý kiến của ai. (He is too stubborn to listen to anyone's opinion.)
- Cố định (v/adj): To fix; to secure; fixed.
- Chiếc bàn được cố định vào tường. (The table is fixed to the wall.)
- Cố ý (adv): Intentionally; on purpose.
- Có phải anh cố ý làm vậy không? (Did you do that on purpose?)
Synonyms
- Try/Strive: attempt, endeavor, make an effort.
- Mortgage: pledge, pawn.
- Great-grandparent: forebear (archaic).
- Deceased: late, departed.
- Deliberately: intentionally, purposely.
Related Idioms
- Cây có cội, nước có nguồn, con người có tổ có tông: A proverb meaning "Trees have roots, water has a source, people have ancestors." It emphasizes remembering one's origins and ancestors, where cố is implied in the lineage.
- Cố đấm ăn xôi: To strive desperately for a gain, often implying the effort is disproportionate or risky. (Literally: to try to punch [to get] sticky rice).
- Việc đó quá mạo hiểm, đừng cố đấm ăn xôi. (That is too risky, don't push your luck for a small gain.)
verb
- To mortage; to secure by mortgage
- To try; to endeavour
- cố đừng quên nhéTry not to forget