Definition

1. Noun:

   • A building for human habitation; a house: A structure with walls, a roof, and doors where people live.
   • A place where one lives; a home: The place where a person or family resides and carries out daily life.
   • A household or family: The people living together in one house, considered as a unit.
   • A dynasty: A line of hereditary rulers of a country, especially in feudal times.
   • A term of address or reference for one's spouse: Used by a husband to refer to his wife or vice versa when speaking to others.
   • A familiar or sometimes condescending term of address: Used to address the listener in a familiar or occasionally dismissive way.
   • A humble term for oneself: Used to refer to oneself modestly in conversation.
   • Things belonging to or associated with oneself: Refers to objects, animals, or matters closely connected to the speaker.
   • Domesticated animals: Animals that have been tamed and live with or are raised by humans.

2. Noun (as a prefix/component):

   • An expert or professional in a specific field: A person with high expertise or who practices a certain profession or discipline.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Building):

  • Họ đang xây một nhà mới. (They are building a new house.)
  • Cửa hàng đó nằm trong một nhà gạch cũ. (That shop is in an old brick building.)

• Noun (Home/Family):

  • Tôi về nhà lúc 6 giờ tối. (I go home at 6 p.m.)
  • Cả nhà tôi đều thích đi du lịch. (My whole family likes to travel.)

• Noun (Dynasty):

  • Nhà Trần có nhiều vị vua anh minh. (The Trần dynasty had many wise kings.)

• Noun (Spouse):

  • Nhà tôi là giáo viên. (My wife/husband is a teacher.)

• Noun (Domesticated):

  • Mèo nhà thường hiền lành hơn mèo hoang. (Domestic cats are usually gentler than wild cats.)

• Noun (Expert):

  • Ông ấy là một nhà khoa học nổi tiếng. (He is a famous scientist.)

Advanced Usage

• "dọn nhà": to move house.

  • Tuần sau chúng tôi sẽ dọn nhà. (We will move house next week.)

• "nhà có nóc": (idiom, literally "house has a roof") used to emphasize that something is absolutely true or to swear an oath.

  • Tôi nói thật, nhà có nóc! (I'm telling the truth, I swear!)

• "nhà người ta": (literally "other people's house") a phrase often used to refer to an idealized standard set by others, often in comparisons.

  • Đừng so sánh con mình với con nhà người ta. (Don't compare your child to other people's (perfect) children.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nhà cửa (n): houses, dwellings (general term for housing).

  • Sau trận lũ, nhà cửa bị hư hại nhiều. (After the flood, many houses were damaged.)

• Nhà ở (n): residence, dwelling place.

  • Vấn đề nhà ở tại thành phố lớn rất nan giải. (The housing problem in big cities is very difficult.)

• Nhà hát (n): theater (a building for performances).

• Nhà bếp (n): kitchen.
• Nhà xe (n): garage, car park.

Synonyms

• Gia đình (n): family (for the meaning of "household").
• Dinh thự (n): mansion, residence (for a large, impressive house).
• Căn nhà (n): house (more specific, refers to the physical structure).
• Gia tộc (n): clan, lineage (for the meaning related to dynasty or lineage).

Related Phrases (Compound Structures)

• Nhà quê (n): countryside; can also be used as an adjective meaning rustic or unsophisticated.

  • Anh ấy có gốc gác nhà quê. (He has countryside origins.)

• Làm nhà (v): to build a house.

  • Họ dành dụm tiền để làm nhà. (They saved money to build a house.)

Related Idioms

• "Nhà cao cửa rộng": (literally "tall house, wide door") describes a large, spacious, and wealthy household.

  • Gia đình ấy nhà cao cửa rộng. (That family lives in a big, spacious house / is very wealthy.)

• "Treo đầu dê, bán thịt chó": (literally "hang a goat's head, sell dog meat") equivalent to "to cry wine and sell vinegar," meaning to deceive or misrepresent.

  • Cửa hàng đó treo đầu dê, bán thịt chó, đừng mua. (That shop is deceptive, don't buy there.) (Note: This idiom often implies a dishonest business, sometimes metaphorically called a "nhà" or establishment.)

• "Nhà sạch thì mát, bát sạch ngon cơm": (literally "A clean house is cool, a clean bowl makes rice tasty") means cleanliness brings comfort and well-being.

noun

1. house; home; abode; domicile
   • dọn nhà
     to move house
   • anh cứ tự nhiên như ở nhà anh
     make yourself at home