Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Intentional, deliberate, wilful: Describes an action, behavior, or state that is done on purpose, with conscious thought and awareness, as opposed to being accidental or unintentional.

Usage

• The word hữu ý is used to attribute purpose or conscious will to an action. It is the direct opposite of vô ý (unintentional, accidental). It is often used in formal, legal, or literary contexts to discuss responsibility or motive.
• Common structures:
  • làm gì một cách hữu ý (to do something intentionally)
  • hành động hữu ý (an intentional/deliberate action)
  • hữu ý hay vô ý (intentional or unintentional)

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Hành vi phá hoại đó là có hữu ý. (That act of vandalism was intentional.)
  • Anh ta đã làm vỡ chiếc bình một cách hữu ý. (He broke the vase deliberately.)
  • Chúng ta cần phân biệt giữa lỗi vô ý và lỗi hữu ý. (We need to distinguish between unintentional and intentional fault.)

Advanced Usage

• In legal terminology, hữu ý is a key concept for determining culpability.
  • Tội giết người do hữu ý bị xử phạt rất nặng. (The crime of murder with intent is punished very severely.)
• It can be used in philosophical or ethical discussions about human action.
  • Hành động đạo đức phải là hành động hữu ý. (A moral action must be an intentional action.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cố ý (adj/phrasal verb): Also means "intentional, deliberate." It can sometimes imply a stronger sense of determination or premeditation than hữu ý.
  • Hắn cố ý lảng tránh câu hỏi của tôi. (He deliberately avoided my question.)
• Chủ tâm (adj): Intentional, with a specific purpose in mind.
  • Lời nói chủ tâm ấy khiến tôi buồn. (That intentional remark made me sad.)
• Vô ý (adj): The direct antonym, meaning unintentional, accidental.

Synonyms

• Có chủ đích: Having a purpose, purposeful.
• Có ý thức: Conscious, done with awareness.

Related Phrases / Idioms

• Hữu ý hay vô tình: Intentionally or unintentionally / on purpose or by accident. This is a common contrasting phrase.
  • Dù hữu ý hay vô tình, lỗi lầm vẫn cần được sửa chữa. (Whether intentional or unintentional, mistakes still need to be corrected.)

adj

1. intentional, wilful