Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Hurried, hasty, rushed: Describes a state or manner characterized by urgency, speed, and a lack of leisure, often due to time pressure.
   • Bustling, frenetic: Describes an atmosphere or scene full of busy, rapid, and energetic activity.

2. Adverb:

   • In a hurry, hastily: Modifies a verb to indicate that an action is performed with speed and urgency.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Không khí ở nhà ga thật hối hả. (The atmosphere at the train station is truly hurried/bustling.)
  • Anh ấy có một cuộc sống hối hả ở thành phố. (He has a hectic/frantic life in the city.)

• Adverb:

  • Mọi người hối hả chuẩn bị cho chuyến đi. (Everyone hurriedly/hastily prepared for the trip.)
  • Cô ấy hối hả rời khỏi văn phòng. (She left the office in a hurry.)

Advanced Usage

• "Sống hối hả": to live a hectic/frantic life.

  • Nhịp sống hối hả đôi khi khiến người ta mệt mỏi. (The hectic pace of life sometimes makes people tired.)

• "Công việc hối hả": rushed/frantic work.

  • Mùa cao điểm với công việc hối hả đã kết thúc. (The peak season with its frantic work has ended.)

Variants and Related Words

• Hối ha (adj/adv): A common variant spelling with the same meaning.
• Vội vã (adj/adv): Hurried, hasty. (A very close synonym, often used interchangeably).
• Gấp gáp (adj): Urgent, pressing. (Emphasizes urgency more than visible speed).

Synonyms

• Vội vàng: Hurriedly, in haste.
• Cuống quýt: Flustered, in a panic (implies more disorganization than ).
• Khẩn trương: Urgent, prompt (often used for serious tasks, less for general bustling).

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

(Note: As Vietnamese does not have phrasal verbs in the same way English does, this section covers common verb phrases using 'hối hả') - Đi hối hả: to go hurriedly. - Anh ta đi hối hả như thể đang trễ hẹn. (He walked hurriedly as if he were late for an appointment.) - Làm việc hối hả: to work in a rush/frenzy. - Cả nhóm làm việc hối hả để kịp deadline. (The whole team worked in a frenzy to meet the deadline.)

Related Idioms

• Chân ướt chân ráo: (Literally: one foot wet, one foot dry). Used to describe arriving somewhere and immediately having to leave or do something else, often in a manner.
  • Anh ấy vừa về đến nhà, chân ướt chân ráo đã phải hối hả đi ngay. (He just got home, and immediately had to leave in a hurry.)

1. Hurry, hasten
   • Hối hả mua vé xe lửa
     To hurry off and buy a train ticket