Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Late; tardy: Occurring or arriving after the expected, usual, or proper time.
   • Delayed; behind schedule: Happening at a later point than planned or typical.
2. Adjective (figurative):
   • Late in life; belated: Happening at a later stage than is common, especially regarding life events.
3. Noun (archaic/literary):
   • Melancholy; sorrow; grief: A state of sadness or distress (this meaning is now rare and primarily found in classical literature or fixed phrases).

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Xin lỗi vì tôi đến muộn. (Sorry for my late arrival.)
  • Chuyến tàu hôm nay rất muộn. (The train is very late today.)
  • Bữa tối muộn. (A late dinner.)
• Adjective (figurative):
  • Cô ấy kết hôn khá muộn. (She married quite late in life.)
  • Anh ấy có con muộn. (He had children late.)
• Noun:
  • Đi chơi cho khuây khỏa nỗi muộn. (Go out to dispel the sorrow.)

Advanced Usage

• "giải muộn": To dispel sadness or melancholy; to find distraction from grief.
  • Ông cụ đi dạo vườn hoa để giải muộn. (The old man strolls in the flower garden to dispel his melancholy.)

Variants and Related Words

• Muộn màng (adj): Belated, tardy (often with a stronger sense of regret or being too late).
  • Lời xin lỗi muộn màng. (A belated apology.)
• Trễ muộn (adj): Delayed, late (common in Southern Vietnamese usage).
  • Giờ học bắt đầu trễ muộn. (The class started late.)

Synonyms

• Late: After the expected time.
• Tardy: Delayed beyond the set time.
• Belated: Coming later than intended.
• Delayed: Made late.

Related Idioms

• Sớm hay muộn: Sooner or later.
  • Sớm hay muộn anh ấy cũng sẽ hiểu. (Sooner or later, he will understand.)
• Muộn còn hơn không: Better late than never.
  • Hãy gửi báo cáo đi, muộn còn hơn không. (Send the report, better late than never.)

adj

1. late; tardy