Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Negligent, careless: Describes a state of not being careful or attentive enough, leading to mistakes or oversights. It implies a lack of proper care or attention to detail.
   • Inattentive, inadvertent: Can describe an action or behavior that is done without sufficient thought or focus, often resulting in an error.

2. Noun:

   • Negligence, carelessness: Refers to the quality or state of being negligent or careless.
   • Oversight, lapse, mistake: Refers to a specific error or fault that occurs due to a lack of attention or care.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Anh ấy đã rất sơ suất khi để quên tài liệu quan trọng. (He was very negligent when he forgot the important documents.)
  • Một hành động sơ suất nhỏ cũng có thể gây ra hậu quả lớn. (A small careless action can also lead to serious consequences.)

• Noun:

  • Đó hoàn toàn là sơ suất của tôi. (That was entirely my mistake / lapse.)
  • Chúng tôi xin lỗi vì sơ suất này. (We apologize for this oversight.)

Advanced Usage

• "do sơ suất": due to negligence/carelessness.

  • Vụ tai nạn xảy ra do sơ suất của tài xế. (The accident happened due to the driver's negligence.)

• "sơ suất trong công việc": negligence in work.

  • Không thể chấp nhận sơ suất trong công việc. (Negligence in work is unacceptable.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sơ ý (adj/n): Similar to "sơ suất," meaning careless, inadvertent, or a careless mistake. Often used interchangeably but can imply a slightly more momentary lapse.

  • Tôi sơ ý làm đổ ly nước. (I inadvertently knocked over the glass of water.)

• Cẩu thả (adj): Sloppy, slipshod. Stronger and more negative than "sơ suất," implying a habitual lack of care and poor quality.

  • Anh ta làm việc rất cẩu thả. (He works very sloppily.)

Synonyms

• Bất cẩn (adj): Inattentive, incautious. Very close in meaning to "sơ suất."
• Thiếu cẩn thận (adj phrase): Lacking carefulness. A descriptive phrase for "sơ suất."

Related Phrases

• Phạm phải sơ suất: To commit a mistake/oversight.

  • Nhân viên mới đã phạm phải sơ suất. (The new employee committed an oversight.)

• Lỗi do sơ suất: Error due to carelessness.

  • Đây là lỗi do sơ suất, không cố ý. (This is an error due to carelessness, not intentional.)

Related Idioms

• "Sơ suất là mẹ của tai họa": A variation of "Carelessness is the mother of accidents." Highlights that negligence can lead to disaster.
  • Hãy nhớ, sơ suất là mẹ của tai họa. (Remember, carelessness is the mother of accidents.)

adj

1. negligent, careless