kể gì

Một đứa trẻ không có tiền mua kẹo, kể gì tiền mua một con gấu bông lớn.

Definition

1. Phrase:
   • What's there to talk about? / What's the point of mentioning?: Used to express that something is not worth mentioning, discussing, or considering because it is insignificant, irrelevant, or obvious. It conveys a dismissive or rhetorical attitude.
   • Let alone / Not to mention: Used to emphasize that if a lesser thing is true (or not done), then a greater thing is certainly true (or certainly not done). It sets up a comparison to highlight an extreme case.

Usage Examples

• As a dismissive/rhetorical question:
  • Chuyện nhỏ thế này thì kể gì. (Such a small matter like this, what's there to talk about? / It's not even worth mentioning.)
  • Anh ấy giàu lắm, mua cái xe này kể gì. (He's very rich, buying this car is nothing / is trivial.)
• To emphasize a comparison ("let alone"):
  • Tôi không có tiền ăn sáng, kể gì tiền mua xe mới. (I don't have money for breakfast, let alone money for a new car.)
  • Bài tập dễ thế, nó còn không làm được, kể gì bài khó. (The exercise is so easy, he can't even do it, let alone a difficult one.)

Advanced Usage

• "Còn... kể gì...": A common structure for comparison, meaning "If... then let alone...".
  • Còn không dám nói, kể gì dám làm. (If (you/he) don't even dare to say it, then let alone dare to do it.)
• Used in negative contexts: Almost always used to downplay the first element in relation to a more significant second element, often in a negative or challenging statement.
  • Không biết đi, kể gì biết chạy. (Doesn't know how to walk, let alone know how to run.)

Variants and Related Words

• Kể chi: An older or more literary variant with the same meaning as "kể gì".
  • Lỗi nhỏ, kể chi. (A minor mistake, it's not worth mentioning.)
• Nói gì / Nói chi: Similar phrases meaning "what's there to say about...", often used interchangeably in many contexts to express unworthiness of discussion.
  • Chuyện cũ rồi, nói gì. (That's old news, no point talking about it.)

Synonyms

• Đáng gì: (What's it worth?) - Used to question the value or significance of something.
• Có gì đâu: (It's nothing) - A common phrase to dismiss something as unimportant.

Related Idioms/Structures

• "Kể gì đến..." / "Nói gì đến...": A more formal or emphatic structure meaning "Let alone talk about...".
  • Kể gì đến chuyện đi du lịch nước ngoài. (Let alone talk about traveling abroad.)
• "Còn chưa... huống chi/kể gì...": A structure meaning "Haven't even... so how/let alone...".
  • Nó còn chưa đọc sách, kể gì hiểu bài. (He hasn't even read the book, let alone understand the lesson.)