Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Cursory, superficial: Done quickly and without attention to detail; only covering the main points.
   • Distant, not intimate: Describing a relationship that is not close or familiar; formal or casual.
   • Initial, early: Pertaining to the first or beginning stage of something.

2. Verb (colloquial):

   • To stir lightly: To use chopsticks to stir something, like rice, briefly and lightly.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Tôi chỉ có hiểu biết sơ sơ về chủ đề này. (I only have a superficial understanding of this topic.)
  • Mối quan hệ của chúng tôi còn rất sơ. (Our relationship is still very distant.)
  • Đó là giai đoạn sơ khai của dự án. (That was the initial stage of the project.)

• Verb:

  • Hãy sơ nồi cơm lên một chút. (Stir the pot of rice lightly.)

Advanced Usage

• "sơ sơ": This reduplicated form softens the meaning, often translating as "roughly," "passably," or "just a little."

  • Anh ấy biết sơ sơ về nấu ăn. (He knows a little bit about cooking.)
  • Tôi ước tính sơ sơ chi phí. (I made a rough estimate of the cost.)

• "sơ qua": To go over something briefly.

  • Chúng ta hãy điểm sơ qua các ý chính. (Let's go over the main points briefly.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sơ khai (adj): Nascent, incipient, in the earliest stage of development.

  • Công nghệ sơ khai. (Nascent technology.)

• Sơ lược (adj): Summary, concise, giving only the main points.

  • Một bản tóm tắt sơ lược. (A summary outline.)

• Sơ sài (adj): Scanty, skimpy, poorly done or made.

  • Bữa ăn sơ sài. (A meager meal.)

Synonyms

• Superficial: Cursory, shallow, perfunctory.
• Distant: Aloof, remote, unfamiliar.
• Initial: Preliminary, early, first.

Related Idioms

• Kẻ thân người sơ: Some are close, some are distant; to have both intimate and casual relationships.

  • Trong cuộc đời, ai cũng có kẻ thân người sơ. (In life, everyone has both close and distant people.)

• Trước sơ sau thân: Distant at first but close later; describing a relationship that deepens over time.

  • Chúng tôi trước sơ sau thân. (We were distant at first but became close later.)

adj

1. cursory paltry, indifferent not intinate, distant