lỡ cơ
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To miss an opportunity / to let a chance slip: To fail to seize or take advantage of a favorable moment or situation, often due to delay, hesitation, or unforeseen circumstances.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Anh ấy đã lỡ cơ đầu tư khi giá cổ phiếu còn thấp. (He missed the opportunity to invest when the stock price was still low.)
- Đừng để lỡ cơ này; nó có thể không quay lại. (Don't let this chance slip; it may not come again.)
- Tôi tiếc vì đã lỡ cơ hợp tác với họ năm ngoái. (I regret missing the chance to collaborate with them last year.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often carries a tone of regret or lament for the lost opportunity. It implies the opportunity was clearly good and available, but action was not taken in time.
Variants and Related Words
- Lỡ dịp (verb phrase): to miss an occasion/chance. A close synonym.
- Cô ấy lỡ dịp gặp mặt đạo diễn nổi tiếng. (She missed the occasion to meet the famous director.)
- Lỡ thời cơ (verb phrase): to miss the opportune moment. A more formal variant.
- Công ty lỡ thời cơ mở rộng ra thị trường quốc tế. (The company missed the opportune moment to expand into the international market.)
Synonyms
- Miss the boat: to fail to take advantage of an opportunity.
- Let slip through one's fingers: to allow something good to escape.
- Lose an opportunity: a more direct equivalent.
Related Idioms
- Lỡ làng: to be wasted or to fail to materialize (often for plans or efforts). While related, it focuses more on the failed outcome than the act of missing the chance itself.
- Kế hoạch kinh doanh đã thành ra lỡ làng. (The business plan came to nothing.)