Definition

1. Noun:

   • A moment; a short, indefinite period of time: Refers to a brief duration, often used when asking someone to wait briefly.
   • A time; an indefinite point or period within a day or sequence of events: Refers to a general time of day (e.g., morning, noon) or a period associated with an activity or state.

2. Conjunction:

   • When; at the time that: Used to introduce a subordinate clause specifying the time at which the main action occurs.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Chờ tôi một lúc. (Wait for me a moment.)
  • Đôi lúc tôi cảm thấy mệt. (At times I feel tired.)
  • Anh ấy sẽ đến vào lúc chiều. (He will come in the afternoon.)

• Conjunction:

  • Lúc tôi đến, cô ấy đang đọc sách. (When I arrived, she was reading a book.)
  • Hãy gọi cho tôi lúc bạn sẵn sàng. (Call me when you are ready.)

Advanced Usage

• "Ngay lúc đó": at that very moment; right then.

  • Ngay lúc đó, chuông điện thoại reo. (At that very moment, the phone rang.)

• "Lúc lâm chung": at the last hour; when facing death.

  • Gia đình có mặt bên cạnh lúc ông lâm chung. (The family was present at his side at the last hour.)

Variants and Related Words

• Lúc nào (adv): when (in questions); whenever.

  • Anh định đi lúc nào? (When do you plan to go?)

• Thỉnh thoảng / đôi lúc (adv): sometimes; at times.

  • Đôi lúc trời mưa rất to. (Sometimes it rains very heavily.)

Synonyms

• Noun: moment, instant, time, period.
• Conjunction: when, while, as.

Related Idioms

• Lúc ẩn lúc hiện: to appear and disappear intermittently; to be elusive.

  • Con thuyền lúc ẩn lúc hiện trong làn sương mờ. (The boat appeared and disappeared intermittently in the mist.)

• Lúc thăng lúc trầm: to have ups and downs; fluctuating.

  • Sự nghiệp của anh ấy trải qua những lúc thăng lúc trầm. (His career has gone through ups and downs.)

noun

1. moment; while
   • chờ tôi một lúc
     wait for me a moment
2. time
   • đôi lúc
     at times

conj

1. when
   • lúc cô ta còn trẻ
     when she was young