Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Worldly-wise, street-smart: Describes a person who has extensive, practical experience and understanding of how the world and society work, often gained through direct life experience rather than formal education. It implies shrewdness, the ability to navigate complex social situations, and a realistic, sometimes cynical, view of human nature and affairs.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Ông ấy là một người sỏi đời, khó ai có thể lừa được. (He is a worldly-wise person; it's hard for anyone to deceive him.)
  • Nhờ kinh nghiệm sống phong phú, bà cụ trở nên rất sỏi đời. (Thanks to her rich life experience, the old woman has become very street-smart.)
  • Anh ta có vẻ sỏi đời khi giải quyết vấn đề với đối tác. (He seems worldly-wise when handling issues with partners.)

Advanced Usage

• The term often carries a slightly nuanced connotation. While positive in denoting experience and capability, it can sometimes imply a degree of jadedness or cunning acquired from that experience. It's more about practical, often social, intelligence than academic knowledge.

Variants and Related Words

• Từ sỏi đời (Noun phrase): The state or quality of being worldly-wise.
  • Sự từ sỏi đời giúp anh ấy tránh được nhiều cạm bẫy. (His worldly-wisdom helps him avoid many pitfalls.)
• Sành đời (Adj): A close synonym, also meaning experienced and knowledgeable about worldly affairs, often with a nuance of being sophisticated or savvy.
• Từng trải (Adj): Experienced, having been through many life events. This is a more general term for experience, while specifically highlights the wisdom gained from it.

Synonyms

• Lão luyện: Seasoned, veteran, highly experienced and skilled.
• Tinh đời: Sharp, astute, perceptive about life.
• Thực tế: Practical, realistic.

Related Idioms

• Đi một ngày đàng, học một sàng khôn: (Travel a day's road, learn a basketful of wisdom.) This proverb reflects the idea that life experience () is gained through exposure and travel.
• Trăm hay không bằng tay quen: (A hundred skills are not equal to one familiar hand.) Emphasizes practical, hands-on experience over theoretical knowledge, related to the practical wisdom implied by .

1. Wordly-wise