Definition

1. Verb:
   • To envy, to be envious of: To feel discontent or resentment because of someone else's advantages, possessions, or success. This is the core meaning, describing a feeling of wanting what someone else has.
   • To be jealous of: While sometimes used interchangeably with "envy" in English, in Vietnamese, "ghen tị" primarily conveys the sense of coveting what another person possesses, rather than the fear of losing something to a rival (which is closer to "ghen" or "ghen tuông").

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Cô ấy không bao giờ ghen tị với thành công của đồng nghiệp. (She never envies her colleague's success.)
  • Đừng ghen tị vì người khác có nhiều tiền hơn bạn. (Don't be envious because others have more money than you.)
  • Anh ta ghen tị với chiếc xe mới của hàng xóm. (He envies his neighbor's new car.)

Advanced Usage

• "Lòng ghen tị": A feeling of envy, envy as a noun.

  • Lòng ghen tị có thể hủy hoại các mối quan hệ. (Envy can destroy relationships.)

• "Đầy ghen tị" / "Đầy lòng ghen tị": Full of envy.

  • Cái nhìn của cô ấy đầy ghen tị. (Her look was full of envy.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ghen (verb): To be jealous. Often implies a stronger, more personal resentment, typically in romantic contexts ("ghen tuông") or regarding rivalry.
• Ghen ăn tức ở (idiom): To be bitterly envious and resentful of others' better situation.
• Đố kỵ (verb): A close synonym, meaning to be envious or begrudging. It can sometimes carry a stronger negative connotation of ill will.

Synonyms

• Envy (verb/noun): To desire something possessed by another.
• Be jealous of (verb phrase): To feel resentment against someone because of their rivalry or success.
• Covet (verb): To yearn to possess something belonging to someone else (more formal/literary).

Related Phrases / Idioms

• Con mắt ghen tị: The eye of envy; a jealous/envious eye.

  • Cô ấy nhìn tài sản của họ bằng con mắt ghen tị. (She looked at their property with an envious eye.)

• Chết vì ghen tị: To die of envy (used hyperbolically).

  • Mọi người sẽ chết vì ghen tị khi thấy ngôi nhà mới của bạn. (People will die of envy when they see your new house.)

1. Envy
   • Ghen tị địa vị của ai
     To envy someone's position