nhỡ thời

nhỡ thời

Một nhà nho nhỡ thời ngồi buồn bã trong căn phòng đơn sơ.

Definition
  1. Adjective:
    • To have missed one's time / to be past one's prime: Describes a person, especially a scholar or intellectual, whose ideals, skills, or era of relevance have passed, leading to a difficult or unfulfilled life, often marked by material struggle and spiritual malaise.
    • To be ill-timed / to be out of step with the times: Conveys a state of being anachronistic, where one's values or talents are no longer suited to or valued by the current era.
Usage Examples
  • Adjective:
    • Ông ấy là một nhà nho nhỡ thời, sống trong cảnh nghèo khó và cô độc. (He is a scholar who has missed his time, living in poverty and solitude.)
    • Những tư tưởng ấy giờ đã nhỡ thời, không còn phù hợp nữa. (Those ideas are now past their prime and no longer relevant.)
    • Cảm giác nhỡ thời khiến ông ta chán nản. (The feeling of being out of step with the times made him depressed.)
Advanced Usage
  • The term is deeply cultural, often associated with Confucian scholars () in Vietnam whose classical education and moral philosophies became obsolete with modernization and political change.
  • It implies a tragic or pitiable state, not just failure, but a profound misalignment between one's life and the historical moment.
Variants and Related Words

  • Lỡ thời (adj): A more common variant with the same meaning.

    • Nghệ sĩ đó giờ đã lỡ thời. (That artist is now past his prime.)

  • Lỡ vận (adj): To have missed one's luck or fortune; to be down on one's luck.

    • Ông ta cảm thấy mình lỡ vận. (He feels he is down on his luck.)
Synonyms
  • Outdated: No longer current or fashionable.
  • Obsolete: No longer produced or used; out of date.
  • Anachronistic: Belonging to a period other than that being portrayed.
  • Past one's prime: Having passed the peak of one's abilities or success.
Related Idioms

  • Lỡ làng nhân duyên: To have missed one's chance for marriage or romantic fulfillment.

    • Cô ấy sợ mình sẽ lỡ làng nhân duyên. (She fears she will miss her chance for marriage.)

  • Lỡ cơ hội: To miss an opportunity.

    • Anh ấy tiếc nuối vì đã lỡ cơ hội đó. (He regrets having missed that opportunity.)