Definition

1. Adverb:
   • Not easy at all, by no means easy: "Hồ dễ" is a literary and somewhat archaic Vietnamese adverb used to strongly negate the ease or likelihood of something. It emphasizes that a situation is difficult, rare, or not simple to achieve.

Usage Examples

• Adverb:
  • Hồ dễ lúc nào cũng gặp được ông ta. (It is not easy at all to meet him.)
  • Hồ dễ gặp được người có phẩm giá như anh ấy. (It is by no means easy to meet a person of his caliber.)
  • Một đời hồ dễ mấy lần gặp tiên. (In one's lifetime, it is not easy at all to meet a fairy [i.e., such a rare and fortunate event happens few times].)

Advanced Usage

• "Hồ dễ" is primarily used in formal, poetic, or literary contexts. In modern spoken Vietnamese, phrases like "đâu có dễ", "đâu dễ", or "không dễ chút nào" are more common.
  • Chuyện này hồ dễ giải quyết. (This matter is not at all easy to resolve.)

Variants and Related Words

• Đâu có dễ / Đâu dễ: (Adverbial phrase) Not easy. The modern, colloquial equivalents of "hồ dễ".
  • Đâu dễ kiếm được việc làm tốt. (It's not easy to find a good job.)
• Không dễ: (Adjectival/Adverbial phrase) Not easy.
  • Bài toán này không dễ. (This math problem is not easy.)

Synonyms

• Đâu phải dễ: It's not that easy.
• Không dễ dàng: Not easy.
• Không đơn giản: Not simple.

Notes on Meaning

• The word "hồ" in "hồ dễ" is an old negative particle, similar to "đâu" in modern Vietnamese. Therefore, the core meaning is a strong negation of "dễ" (easy).
• It often carries a connotation of rarity or special difficulty, not just ordinary difficulty.

1. Not easy at all
   • Hồ dễ lúc nào cũng gặp được ông ta
     It is not easy at all to meet him