Definition

1. Adjective (Phrasal Adjective):
   • Demoralized / Discouraged: To lose one's spirit, morale, or confidence; to feel disheartened and less willing to continue trying.
   • Disheartened: To have one's enthusiasm, hope, or courage diminished, often due to failure, bad news, or difficult circumstances.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Đội bóng trở nên mất tinh thần sau hai bàn thua liên tiếp. (The team became demoralized after conceding two consecutive goals.)
  • Cô ấy hoàn toàn mất tinh thần khi nhận tin không đậu đại học. (She was completely disheartened upon receiving the news that she failed the university entrance exam.)
  • Đừng mất tinh thần! Chúng ta có thể thử lại lần nữa. (Don't be discouraged! We can try again.)

Advanced Usage

• This phrase is often used to describe a psychological state affecting performance or perseverance. It can apply to individuals, groups, teams, or soldiers.
• It can function as a stative verb phrase in a sentence (e.g., meaning "They have become demoralized").

Variants and Related Words

• Nản chí / Nản lòng (v/phr): to lose heart, to become disheartened. A close synonym with a similar emotional connotation.
  • Anh ấy nản chí sau nhiều lần bị từ chối. (He lost heart after many rejections.)
• Xuống tinh thần (v/phr): a less severe state of lowered spirits or morale.
  • Mọi người xuống tinh thần vì thời tiết xấu kéo dài. (Everyone's spirits are low because of the prolonged bad weather.)

Synonyms

• Demoralized: having lost confidence or hope.
• Disheartened: made less hopeful or enthusiastic.
• Discouraged: having had one's confidence or enthusiasm weakened.

Related Idioms

• Mất ăn mất ngủ: to be so worried that one loses appetite and sleep. This idiom describes a more severe state of anxiety, which can lead to being .
  • Vấn đề tài chính khiến anh ấy mất ăn mất ngủ. (The financial problem made him lose his appetite and sleep.)
• Buông xuôi: to give up, to surrender to circumstances. This is a potential result of being for an extended period.
  • Sau nhiều thất bại, cuối cùng cô ấy đã buông xuôi. (After many failures, she finally gave up.)