Definition

1. Adjective:
   • To the full extent of one's strength or capacity: Describes an action performed to the point where one's physical or mental effort feels fully utilized or satisfied. It implies reaching a sufficient or desired level of exertion.
   • To one's heart's content, at ease: Can describe engaging in an activity (often leisurely) with complete satisfaction and without restraint, feeling that one's capacity for enjoyment is fully met.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Công việc đồng áng ấy làm chưa phỉ sức anh ấy. (That farm work is not to the full extent of his strength / hasn't fully utilized his capacity.)
  • Bọn trẻ chạy nhảy phỉ sức rồi mới chịu về nhà. (The children ran and jumped to their heart's content / until they were fully satisfied before agreeing to go home.)
  • Anh ấy muốn làm việc cho phỉ sức. (He wants to work to his full capacity.)

Advanced Usage

• This term is somewhat literary and formal in modern Vietnamese. It is often used to emphasize a state of complete fulfillment in terms of effort or desire.
• It can describe both physical exertion ("sức") and, by extension, a metaphorical "capacity" for an activity.

Variants and Related Words

• Phỉ (verb): To satisfy, to gratify (e.g., - to satisfy one's wish, - to satisfy one's ambition). is a compound where combines with (strength).
• Thỏa sức (adverb/adjective): A more common near-synonym meaning "to one's heart's content," "as much as one wants," often used in positive contexts of freedom or enjoyment (e.g., - to play to one's heart's content).

Synonyms

• Thỏa mãn: To satisfy, to fulfill.
• Cạn sức: To use up one's strength (implies exhaustion, whereas implies satisfied utilization).
• Vừa sức: Suited to one's strength (implies appropriateness, not necessarily full utilization).

Notes on Different Meanings

• The core meaning revolves around the satisfaction of one's capacity or strength. The context determines whether it leans toward:
  • Physical/Mental Capacity: Not yet phỉ sức means the task is beneath one's abilities or hasn't fully engaged them.
  • Leisurely Satisfaction: Playing phỉ sức means playing until one's desire for the activity is completely gratified.

Related Idioms/Phrases

• Làm cho phỉ sức: To work to one's full capacity.
• Chơi cho phỉ sức: To play to one's heart's content.
• Chưa phỉ sức: Not yet to the full extent of one's strength; (the work/activity) is not demanding enough.

1. To the capability of one's strength
   • Việc này làm chưa phỉ sức anh ta
     This job is not to the capability of his strength