hỡi ôi

Học thuật

Thân thiện

Hỡi ôi, chiếc bình cổ đã vỡ tan thành từng mảnh.

Definition

Interjection:
- Alas!: An exclamation expressing sorrow, pity, regret, or grief over a lamentable situation or event. It is a literary and somewhat archaic interjection used to introduce a statement of misfortune.

Usage Examples

Interjection:
- Hỡi ôi! Thế là phí một đời! (Alas! That is another life wasted!)
- Hỡi ôi, số phận thật nghiệt ngã! (Alas, fate is so cruel!)
- Hỡi ôi, anh ấy đã ra đi mãi mãi. (Alas, he has passed away forever.)

Advanced Usage

"Hỡi ôi" is primarily used in literary contexts, poetry, formal speeches, or dramatic narratives to convey deep emotion. It is less common in everyday spoken Vietnamese.
- Hỡi ôi, thời oanh liệt nay còn đâu? (Alas, where are the glorious days of yore?)

Variants and Related Words

Than ôi: A very close synonym, also meaning "Alas!" or "Woe is me!".
- Than ôi, thời thế đã đổi thay. (Alas, the times have changed.)
Ôi: A more general and common exclamation of emotion (e.g., surprise, pain, delight). "Hỡi ôi" is a more emphatic and sorrowful variant.
- Ôi, đau quá! (Ouch, that hurts!)
Chao ôi: An exclamation expressing surprise, regret, or pity, but often less formal than "hỡi ôi".
- Chao ôi, sao mà khổ thế! (Oh my, why so miserable!)

Synonyms

Than ôi: Alas! Woe!
Ôi thôi: Oh no! (expressing resignation or dismay)
Thiệt tình: Honestly/Really (used to express regret or disappointment, but less literary).

Related Phrases

"Hỡi ôi là hỡi ôi": A repetitive, emphatic form used in poetry or song to intensify the feeling of lament.
- Hỡi ôi là hỡi ôi, nỗi niềm tê tái. (Alas, alas, the aching sorrow.)

Related Idioms

While "hỡi ôi" itself is an exclamatory phrase, it is often found at the beginning of idiomatic or proverbial expressions of lament.
- Hỡi ôi đời người như bóng câu qua cửa sổ. (Alas, a human life is like a shadow of a dove passing the window—meaning life is fleeting.)

Hỡi ôi, chiếc bình cổ đã vỡ tan thành từng mảnh.