khoan khoan

Khoan khoan, đừng vội đi vội.

Definition

1. Interjection:
   • Wait a moment / Hold on / Not so fast: Used to ask someone to pause, delay an action, or reconsider before proceeding. It expresses a request for temporary stoppage or careful thought.

Usage Examples

• Interjection:
  • Khoan khoan, đừng vội quyết định! (Wait a moment, don't decide hastily!)
  • Khoan khoan, để tôi kiểm tra lại đã. (Hold on, let me double-check first.)
  • "Chúng ta nên mua ngay." – "Khoan khoan, giá có vẻ cao quá." ("We should buy it now." – "Not so fast, the price seems too high.")

Advanced Usage

• The reduplicated form "khoan khoan" is more emphatic and often softer or more persuasive than the single word "khoan" (hold, drill, or wait). It is commonly used in spoken language to gently interrupt or counsel patience.

Variants and Related Words

• Khoan (v, interj): Can mean "to drill," "to postpone," or as an interjection: "Hold on!" or "Wait!"
• Khoan đã (interj): A synonymous phrase meaning "Wait a minute / Hold on."

Synonyms

• Wait: To stay in place or delay action.
• Hold on: To pause or wait for a short time.
• Not so fast: Used to tell someone they should slow down or reconsider.

Related Idioms

• Khoan thư sức: (An idiom using "khoan" meaning "to relax, to take it easy").
• While "khoan khoan" itself is not typically part of a longer idiom, its function is idiomatic in creating a polite, delaying interjection.