Definition

1. Verb:
   • To remind and admonish; to give earnest advice or counsel: The word "nhắc nhủ" describes the action of reminding someone, often with a tone of concern, care, or gentle warning, about their duties, responsibilities, or past advice. It implies a sincere desire for the listener to remember and act correctly.

Usage

• General Use: "Nhắc nhủ" is used when someone (often an elder, parent, teacher, or superior) speaks to another person to ensure they remember important things, behave properly, or avoid mistakes. It combines the act of reminding ("nhắc") with the act of earnestly advising or exhorting ("nhủ").
• Tone: The tone is typically caring, thoughtful, and sometimes solemn. It is not a harsh scolding but a sincere urging.
• Grammar: It is a transitive verb, often followed by an object (the person being reminded) and sometimes the content of the reminder introduced by "về" (about), "phải" (must), or a clause.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Mẹ thường nhắc nhủ tôi phải học hành chăm chỉ. (My mother often reminds and admonishes me to study hard.)
  • Trước khi tôi đi xa, ông nội đã nhắc nhủ tôi về nhiều điều. (Before I went far away, my grandfather reminded and counseled me about many things.)
  • Giáo viên chủ nhiệm nhắc nhủ cả lớp giữ trật tự. (The homeroom teacher reminded and urged the whole class to keep quiet.)

Advanced Usage

• "nhắc nhủ nhau": To remind and advise each other.
  • Chúng tôi thường nhắc nhủ nhau phải cẩn thận khi tham gia giao thông. (We often remind and advise each other to be careful when participating in traffic.)
• "lời nhắc nhủ": A reminder, a piece of earnest advice (used as a noun phrase).
  • Tôi luôn khắc ghi lời nhắc nhủ của thầy giáo cũ. (I always remember the earnest advice of my old teacher.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nhắc (verb): To remind. This is a simpler, more neutral term for reminding without the strong connotation of earnest counsel.
  • Anh ấy nhắc tôi về cuộc họp. (He reminded me about the meeting.)
• Khuyên nhủ (verb): To advise, to counsel. Similar to "nhắc nhủ" but focuses more on giving advice rather than reminding of a known duty.
  • Cô ấy khuyên nhủ tôi nên suy nghĩ kỹ. (She advised me to think carefully.)
• Căn dặn (verb): To give careful instructions or admonitions. It is very close in meaning to "nhắc nhủ" but can imply more detailed instructions.
  • Mẹ căn dặn tôi phải mặc áo ấm. (My mother instructed me to wear warm clothes.)

Synonyms

• Dặn dò: To instruct, to enjoin (often with care and detail).
• Khuyên bảo: To advise, to counsel.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Nhắc nhở (verb): To remind, to prompt. This is a very common synonym, but "nhắc nhở" can sometimes sound slightly more neutral or administrative than the more personal and caring "nhắc nhủ."
  • Hệ thống sẽ nhắc nhở bạn khi đến hạn thanh toán. (The system will remind you when the payment is due.)

Related Idioms

• Nhắc đi nhắc lại: To repeat over and over (emphasizing the act of reminding).
  • Cô ấy nhắc đi nhắc lại điều đó nhiều lần. (She repeated that many times.)
• Ghi lòng tạc dạ lời nhắc nhủ: To engrave the earnest advice in one's heart and mind (to remember advice deeply).
  • Tôi sẽ ghi lòng tạc dạ lời nhắc nhủ của cha. (I will engrave my father's earnest advice in my heart and mind.)

1. Remind and admonish