mất toi
Definition
- Adjective (used as a verb complement):
- To lose something for good, to suffer a complete and often wasteful loss: Describes the state of having lost something permanently, typically with a sense of futility, waste, or fruitless effort. It implies the loss is total and irrecoverable.
Usage Examples
- As a complement:
- Công sức bao năm của tôi coi như mất toi. (My years of effort are considered completely lost.)
- Nếu không cẩn thận, số tiền đầu tư sẽ mất toi. (If we're not careful, the invested money will be lost for good.)
- Anh ấy lo lắng món đồ cổ bị mất toi. (He is worried the antique will be permanently lost.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is often used with verbs like "bị" (to be subjected to), "coi như" (to consider as), or "sợ" (to fear) to emphasize the finality and negativity of the loss.
- It carries a strong connotation of regret and waste, often implying the loss was avoidable or the effort was in vain.
Variants and Related Words
- Mất (v): to lose. This is the core verb. "Mất toi" intensifies its meaning.
- Mất hút (v): to disappear without a trace.
- Mất trắng (v): to lose everything, to be cleaned out (often financially).
Synonyms
- Wasted: used or expended carelessly or to no avail.
- Gone for good: permanently lost.
- Down the drain: lost or wasted completely.
Related Idioms
- Công toi, vô ích: in vain, futile. This shares the sense of fruitless effort found in "mất toi".
- Mọi nỗ lực của họ đều thành công toi. (All their efforts were in vain.)