Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Ignorant; lacking knowledge or education: Describes a person who has little knowledge, understanding, or education in a general or specific area.
   • Dull-witted; slow to learn or understand: Describes a person who is not intelligent or quick to comprehend.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Nó học rất dốt môn toán. (He is very poor at math / He is very ignorant in math.)
  • Đừng có hỏi nó, nó dốt lắm. (Don't ask him, he's very ignorant.)
  • Cậu ấy không phải dốt, chỉ là lười học thôi. (He's not dull-witted, he's just lazy about studying.)

Advanced Usage

• "dốt đặc": Completely ignorant; utterly lacking knowledge. This is a stronger, more emphatic form.
  • Hắn dốt đặc về lịch sử nước nhà. (He is completely ignorant about our country's history.)
• "dốt nát": Ignorant and unlearned. Often implies a lack of formal education or cultivation.
  • Một kẻ dốt nát không biết lễ nghĩa. (An ignorant and unlearned person who knows no manners.)

Variants and Related Words

• Dốt nát (adj): Ignorant, unlearned, uncultured.
• Ngu dốt (adj): Stupid and ignorant. This is a stronger, more offensive compound.
  • Hành động ngu dốt đó khiến mọi người tức giận. (That stupid and ignorant action made everyone angry.)
• Dốt chữ (adj): Illiterate; unable to read or write.
  • Ông cụ ngày xưa dốt chữ nhưng hiểu biết cuộc sống rất sâu sắc. (The old man in the past was illiterate but had a very profound understanding of life.)

Synonyms

• Ngu (adj): Stupid, foolish. (Often stronger and more direct than "dốt").
• Kém (adj): Poor, weak (in a subject). (Less harsh, more focused on ability).
• Tối dạ (adj): Slow-witted, dull. (Emphasizes slowness in understanding).

Related Idioms

• "Dốt hay nói chữ": An ignorant person who likes to use fancy words / An empty vessel makes the most sound. Criticizes someone who is ignorant but pretentiously uses sophisticated language to appear smart.
  • Anh ta chẳng hiểu gì lại cứ bình luận, đúng là dốt hay nói chữ. (He doesn't understand anything but keeps commenting, truly an ignorant person who likes to show off with words.)

adj

1. Ignorant; unlettered; dull-witted