Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Having a deeply ingrained bad habit: Describes a person who has acquired a bad habit over a long period, to the point where it has become second nature or an inveterate characteristic.
   • Accustomed to a negative trait: Indicates a state of being so familiar with a negative behavior or trait that it defines one's character.

Usage

• As a predicate adjective: Typically follows the subject and a verb like "là", "bị", or "trở nên" to describe a state.
  • Cậu ấy quen thân nói dối rồi. (He is inveterately accustomed to lying.)
  • Đừng để mình quen thân lười biếng. (Don't let yourself become habitually lazy.)
• Modifying a noun (often in a compound structure): Used before a noun (often a negative trait) to form a descriptive phrase.
  • thói quen thân lười (the inveterate habit of laziness)

Examples

• (He has become inveterately accustomed to being late for appointments.)
• (He got habitually used to snacking all day, so now he's obese.)
• (A deeply ingrained habit of dishonesty is very hard to correct.)

Advanced Usage

• "Quen thân" as a fixed descriptive pattern: The phrase often directly precedes the specific bad habit (a verb or noun) to emphasize its entrenched nature.
  • quen thân làm biếng (to be an inveterate lazy-bones)
  • quen thân hút thuốc (to be habitually addicted to smoking)

Variants and Related Words

• Quen miệng (adj): Literally "accustomed mouth," used for habitual speech patterns or tastes (can be neutral or negative).
  • Quen miệng chửi thề. (To be in the habit of swearing.)
• Quen tay (adj): Literally "accustomed hand," used for manual habits (can be positive or negative).
  • Quen tay ăn cắp vặt. (To have a habitual tendency to petty theft.)
• Thói quen xấu (n): Bad habit. This is a more general noun, while "quen thân" is an adjective describing the state of having such a habit.

Synonyms

• Thâm căn cố đế (adj): Deep-rooted, ingrained (often for negative traits). This is stronger and more literary.
• Nhiễm thói (v): To acquire/pick up a bad habit. This is a verb phrase describing the action.
• Có thói (v): To have a habit (of). A more neutral verb phrase.

Notes on Meaning

• Exclusively Negative Connotation: "Quen thân" is almost always used to describe negative, undesirable habits or traits (laziness, lying, tardiness). It is not used for positive or neutral habits.
• Degree of Habit: It implies a habit that is not just occasional but deeply embedded in one's character, suggesting it will be difficult to change.
• Structure: It functions like an adverb-adjective combo in English ("inveterately lazy"). The target bad habit (e.g., , ) is an integral part of the complete expression.

1. Inveterate
   • Quen thân làm biếng
     To be an inveterate lazy-bones