Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Satisfied, content, pleased: "hởi" describes a state of satisfaction or contentment, often regarding a desire or expectation being met.
   • Pallid, off-white (archaic, specific to horse coat color): In an archaic and very specific usage, "hởi" can describe a horse with a whitish or dappled gray coat color.

Usage Examples

• Adjective (Satisfied):
  • Như thế thật là hởi lòng. (That is very satisfactory / That is to one's liking.)
  • Làm xong việc, ông ấy cảm thấy hởi dạ. (After finishing the work, he felt content.)
• Adjective (Horse color - archaic):
  • Con ngựa hởi. (The dappled gray horse.)

Advanced Usage

• "hởi lòng": to be satisfied/pleased (at heart).
  • Kết quả này khiến tôi hởi lòng. (This result pleases me.)
• "hởi dạ": to be content (in one's mind/stomach).
  • Nghe lời hứa của anh, cô ấy đã hởi dạ. (Hearing his promise, she felt reassured/content.)

Variants and Related Words

• Thỏa (verb/adjective): to satisfy; satisfied. This is a more common synonym for the "satisfied" meaning of "hởi".
• Hài lòng (adjective): pleased, satisfied. A very common modern synonym.
• Mãn nguyện (adjective): fulfilled, content. Indicates a deeper level of satisfaction.

Synonyms

• Vừa lòng: to one's liking, satisfactory.
• Bằng lòng: agreeable, consenting, pleased.
• Thích chí: delighted, pleased (often with a sense of amusement or personal enjoyment).

Notes on Usage

• The primary and most frequently encountered meaning of "hởi" in modern Vietnamese is "satisfied" or "content," typically used in the fixed phrases "hởi lòng" and "hởi dạ."
• The meaning related to horse coat color ("màu lông ngựa trắng mốc") is considered archaic and is rarely used in contemporary language. You will almost exclusively find it in classical literature or historical texts.
• "Hởi" as an adjective describing satisfaction is somewhat literary and may sound more formal or old-fashioned compared to more common words like "hài lòng" or "thỏa mãn."

1. Satisfy
   • Như thế thật là hởi lòng
     That is very satisfactory; that is to one's liking