Definition

Noun: 1. A rigid, unoriginal, and often overused pattern, form, or set of ideas: Refers to a fixed, conventional, and unimaginative mold or formula that lacks creativity and individuality. It describes something done mechanically by habit or according to a pre-existing, stale model. 2. A stereotype or cliché: Refers to a trite, predictable, and oversimplified idea, expression, or character type that has lost its originality and impact due to overuse.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Văn của anh ấy thoát khỏi khuôn sáo cũ. (His writing breaks free from the old clichés.)
  • Diễn xuất của cô ấy rất tự nhiên, không khuôn sáo. (Her acting is very natural, not formulaic.)
  • Họ chỉ lặp lại những lời tán dương khuôn sáo. (They only repeated hackneyed words of praise.)
  • Suy nghĩ khuôn sáo sẽ kìm hãm sự sáng tạo. (Stereotypical thinking will stifle creativity.)

Advanced Usage

• "theo khuôn sáo" / "mang tính khuôn sáo": To be done in a clichéd, routine, or stereotypical manner; to follow a formula.
  • Bài phát biểu được soạn theo khuôn sáo. (The speech was drafted in a routine/clichéd manner.)
• "thoát khỏi khuôn sáo": To break free from stereotypes/clichés; to be unconventional.
  • Nghệ sĩ đó luôn tìm cách thoát khỏi khuôn sáo. (That artist always seeks to break free from clichés.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sáo (adj/n): Can mean "worn-out," "hackneyed," or "cliché" (e.g., – hackneyed words). It is the core element contributing to the meaning of "khuôn sáo."
• Khuôn mẫu (n): Model, pattern, standard. While "khuôn mẫu" can be neutral or positive (a good model), "khuôn sáo" is almost always negative, implying rigidity and lack of originality.
• Định kiến (n): Prejudice, preconception. Shares the idea of a fixed, often unfair, mental pattern but is more specific to judgments about people/groups.
• Lối mòn (n): Rut, routine. Emphasizes a habitual, unchanging path of thought or action, similar to the uncreative aspect of "khuôn sáo."

Synonyms

• Cliché (n): A phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought.
• Stereotype (n): A widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.
• Formula (n): A fixed form or method, often implying a lack of originality.
• Convention (n): A way in which something is usually done, which can become rigid and unoriginal.
• Commonplace (n/adj): Something ordinary, unoriginal, or frequently encountered.

Related Phrases / Idioms

• "Khuôn vàng thước ngọc": (Lit: golden mold, jade ruler) A positive idiom meaning a perfect, exemplary standard or model. This contrasts with the negative connotation of "khuôn sáo."
• "Đúc trong một khuôn": (Lit: to be cast in the same mold) To be identical or very similar, lacking individuality. This phrase shares the metaphorical "mold" imagery with "khuôn sáo" and conveys a similar sense of uniformity.

noun

1. routine