hồi đầu
Definition
- Verb (Literary/Formal):
- To repent; to regret and change one's ways: To feel sincere remorse or contrition for past wrongdoings or sins, and to resolve to improve one's behavior or character. This meaning carries a moral or spiritual weight.
- To reconsider; to think again: To think carefully about a previous decision or action, often with a view to changing it.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Sau nhiều năm lầm đường lạc lối, anh ta đã hồi đầu. (After many years of going astray, he repented.)
- Cô ấy hối hận và mong muốn được hồi đầu. (She felt remorseful and wished to repent.)
- Đã đến lúc anh nên hồi đầu, suy nghĩ lại về những quyết định của mình. (It's time for you to reconsider and think again about your decisions.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "hồi đầu" is primarily used in formal, literary, or religious contexts. In modern everyday speech, phrases like "hối hận" (to regret), "ăn năn" (to repent), or "suy nghĩ lại" (to reconsider) are more common.
- It is often associated with the Buddhist concept of turning away from bad karma and towards a virtuous path.
Variants and Related Words
- Hồi tâm (v): To turn one's heart/mind back; synonymous with repenting or having a change of heart.
- Câu chuyện cảm động khiến hắn hồi tâm chuyển ý. (The touching story made him have a change of heart.)
- Quay đầu (v): Literally "to turn one's head around." It can mean to physically turn around or, figuratively, to change direction in life or opinion.
- Anh ấy đã quay đầu, trở thành một công dân lương thiện. (He turned his life around and became an honest citizen.)
Synonyms
- Repent: To feel sorrow for sin or wrongdoing and to change one's ways.
- Reconsider: To think about something again, typically with the possibility of changing one's mind.
- Have a change of heart: To alter one's opinion or feelings.
Related Idioms
- Hồi đầu thị ngạn (Literary: "To turn one's head is the shore"): A Buddhist phrase meaning that repentance and turning towards goodness is the way to salvation (the shore).
- Phật dạy rằng hồi đầu thị ngạn. (The Buddha taught that repentance is the shore.)
- Biết ăn năn hối cải: To know how to feel remorse and reform.
- Tội phạm biết ăn năn hối cải sẽ được giảm án. (Criminals who show remorse and reform will have their sentences reduced.)