Definition

1. Noun:
   • Character, disposition, mentality: Refers to a person's inherent nature, temperament, or overall mental and moral qualities, often implying a combination of intellect and magnanimity.
   • Capacity, caliber: Denotes the scope of a person's talent, wisdom, and breadth of mind; their overall capability and potential.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Ông ấy có khí cục của một nhà lãnh đạo. (He has the character/caliber of a leader.)
  • Đừng để khí cục nhỏ nhen ảnh hưởng đến quyết định của bạn. (Don't let a petty/narrow-minded disposition affect your decision.)
  • Người có khí cục lớn thường không quan tâm đến chuyện nhỏ nhặt. (A person with great capacity/broad-mindedness often doesn't bother with trivial matters.)

Advanced Usage

• This word is considered somewhat literary or formal and is often used in evaluative or descriptive contexts concerning a person's qualities.
• It can be used in both positive contexts (e.g., - broad-minded, magnanimous) and negative contexts (e.g., - narrow-minded, petty).

Variants and Related Words

• Khí độ (n): A near-synonym, also meaning disposition, temperament, or bearing. Often used interchangeably with .
  • Khí độ đường hoàng (A dignified bearing).
• Tâm tính (n): Temperament, nature (focuses more on innate character).
• Bản tính (n): Inherent nature, disposition.
• Tư chất (n): Natural qualities, aptitude.

Synonyms

• Tính cách: Character, personality.
• Khí chất: Temperament, quality (often related to demeanor).
• Tầm nhìn: Vision, foresight (overlaps in the sense of breadth of mind).

Notes on Meaning

• The word traditionally combines the concepts of "khí" (spirit, energy) and "cục" (situation, configuration), suggesting the configuration of one's spirit or inherent qualities.
• It often carries a connotation of the scale or breadth of one's mind and talents, not just basic personality traits. A person with a "lớn" (large/great) implies someone with vision, tolerance, and high potential.
• As noted in the reference, it can be considered somewhat archaic () but remains in use in formal writing and speech.