lỡ dịp
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To miss an opportunity / to miss the chance: To fail to take advantage of a specific, often favorable, moment or occasion. It implies a sense of regret over the lost chance.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Tôi rất tiếc vì đã lỡ dịp gặp anh ấy khi anh ấy đến thành phố. (I regret having missed the chance to meet him when he came to the city.)
- Đừng để lỡ dịp này, nó có thể không quay lại. (Don't miss this opportunity; it may not come back.)
- Cô ấy lỡ dịp mua căn nhà đó với giá tốt. (She missed the opportunity to buy that house at a good price.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often carries a connotation of personal fault or unfortunate circumstance leading to the missed chance. It is frequently used in past tense constructions to express regret.
Variants and Related Words
Lỡ cơ hội (verb phrase): A direct synonym meaning "to miss an opportunity."
- Anh ấy lỡ cơ hội thăng chức. (He missed the opportunity for a promotion.)
Lỡ tàu/lỡ chuyến (verb phrase): Literally "to miss the train/ride," used figuratively to mean missing a major trend or wave.
- Công ty đã lỡ tàu cách mạng số. (The company missed the boat on the digital revolution.)
Synonyms
- Miss the opportunity: To fail to seize a chance.
- Miss the chance: To let a favorable moment pass.
- Let slip (an opportunity): To allow an opportunity to escape.
Related Idioms
Lỡ làng: To be wasted or to come to nothing, often due to missed timing or poor planning. It has a broader meaning than just missing a single chance.
- Kế hoạch của họ đã thành ra lỡ làng. (Their plan ended up coming to nothing.)
Lỡ bước: To make a misstep or a wrong move, often in life.
- Trong đời, đôi khi chỉ cần lỡ bước là hỏng cả tương lai. (In life, sometimes just one wrong step can ruin your future.)