khí nhân
Definition
- Noun:
- A useless person; a person of no value to society: "khí nhân" refers to an individual considered worthless, expendable, or a burden, with no positive contribution.
- A discarded person (archaic): In older usage, it denotes a person who has been cast aside or abandoned.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Trong mắt hắn, tôi chỉ là một khí nhân. (In his eyes, I am just a useless person.)
- Xã hội phong kiến đôi khi coi những người tàn tật là khí nhân. (Feudal society sometimes considered disabled people to be worthless.)
Advanced Usage
- This term carries a strongly negative and derogatory connotation. It is used to express extreme contempt or to label someone as a complete burden.
- Hắn ta sống như một khí nhân, chẳng làm được tích sự gì. (He lives like a useless person, accomplishing nothing of value.)
Variants and Related Words
- Vô dụng (adj): Useless, good-for-nothing. (A more common adjective with a similar meaning but less harsh.)
- Gánh nặng (n): Burden. (Focuses on the aspect of being a load or trouble to others.)
- Đồ bỏ đi (n): Something to be thrown away. (A harsh colloquial phrase for a person or thing.)
Synonyms
- Kẻ vô tích sự: A good-for-nothing person.
- Kẻ ăn hại: A parasite; a person who consumes resources without contributing.
Notes on Meaning
- The term khí nhân is considered archaic and extremely offensive in modern Vietnamese. It is rarely used in contemporary, polite discourse but may be found in historical texts, literature, or used for strong insult.
- Its meaning aligns closely with the French definition "personne inutile à la société" (a person useless to society) and the archaic Vietnamese definition "người bỏ đi" (a discarded person).