Definition

Verb: - To envy; to be envious: To feel discontent or resentment because of someone else's possessions, qualities, advantages, or success, often accompanied by a desire to have them for oneself.

Usage

• This verb describes the feeling of wanting what someone else has. It is used to express a negative emotional state.
• It is often used with the object of envy introduced by với (with) or vì (because of).
• Example structure: ghen tỵ với ai/cái gì (to envy someone/something).

Usage Examples

• Cô ấy không bao giờ ghen tỵ với thành công của đồng nghiệp. (She never envies her colleague's success.)
• Đừng ghen tỵ vì anh ấy có xe mới. (Don't be envious because he has a new car.)
• Sự ghen tỵ có thể làm hỏng các mối quan hệ. (Envy can ruin relationships.)

Advanced Usage

• "ghen tỵ đến mức...": to envy to the point/extent that...
  • Anh ta ghen tỵ với bạn mình đến mức không muốn nói chuyện nữa. (He envied his friend to the point that he didn't want to talk anymore.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ghen (verb): Often means "to be jealous" in a romantic context, but can also imply envy in a broader sense. Ghen tỵ is more specifically about coveting what others have.
• Sự ghen tỵ (noun): The feeling or state of envy.
  • Sự ghen tỵ là một cảm xúc tiêu cực. (Envy is a negative emotion.)
• Đố kỵ (verb): A close synonym, often with a stronger, more malicious connotation of resentment.

Synonyms

• Thèm muốn: to covet, to desire strongly (what others have).
• Ghét (trong ngữ cảnh này): to hate, to resent (when used in the context of resenting someone's advantage).

Related Idioms

• Ghen ăn tức ở: (Idiom) Literally "to envy (others') eating and resent (their) living." It describes a deeply resentful and petty form of envy regarding every aspect of someone else's better life.
  • Thái độ ghen ăn tức ở của họ thật khó chịu. (Their attitude of petty envy is very unpleasant.)
• Con mắt ghen tỵ: (Phrase) The eye of envy; a jealous/envious eye.
  • Cô ấy nhìn chiếc váy mới của tôi bằng con mắt ghen tỵ. (She looked at my new dress with an envious eye.)

verb

1. to envy ; to be envious