Definition

1. Verb:
   • To compare enviously; to make invidious comparisons: The act of measuring one's own situation, possessions, or achievements against another's, often with feelings of envy, jealousy, or a competitive desire to equal or surpass them. It implies a sense of rivalry or discontent stemming from the comparison.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Cô ấy luôn so đọ với hàng xóm về của cải. (She always compares enviously with her neighbors about wealth.)
  • Đừng so đọ thành tích của con mình với con người ta. (Don't make invidious comparisons between your child's achievements and other people's children.)
  • Anh ấy có thói quen so đọ lương bổng với đồng nghiệp. (He has a habit of comparing his salary enviously with his colleagues.)

Advanced Usage

• "so đọ hơn thua": to compete or vie with one another in a contentious, envious manner.
  • Hai công ty liên tục so đọ hơn thua về thị phần. (The two companies are constantly vying contentiously for market share.)

Variants and Related Words

• So bì (verb): A near-synonym meaning to compare in a petty, begrudging, or envious way. It is often used interchangeably with "so đọ."
  • Trẻ con hay so bì đồ chơi với nhau. (Children often petty-compare toys with each other.)
• So sánh (verb): The neutral term for "to compare," without the inherent connotation of envy.
  • Giáo viên so sánh hai phương pháp giảng dạy. (The teacher compares two teaching methods.)

Synonyms

• Đố kỵ (verb): to be jealous or envious (focuses more on the feeling than the act of comparing).
• Ganh đua (verb): to compete, to vie (emphasizes the competitive action).

Related Phrases / Idioms

• "So đo tính toán": to be calculating and petty in comparisons, often regarding small gains or losses.
  • Làm việc lớn thì đừng nên so đo tính toán từng chút một. (When doing big things, one shouldn't be calculating over every little detail.)
• "So kè": (informal) to haggle or bargain, often with a sense of comparing values competitively.
  • Hai bên đang so kè giá cả. (The two sides are haggling over the price.)

1. Compare things enviously