Definition

1. Noun (colloquial, humorous):
   • A very young child; a little one; a tot. This term is an affectionate and informal way to refer to a baby or a very small child, emphasizing their tiny size and young age. It carries a warm, endearing tone.
   • Young children (plural). Often used to refer to one's own small children.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • She is married and already has two tí nhau. (Cô ta đã có chồng và hai tí nhau.)
  • On weekends, the park is full of tí nhau running and playing. (Cuối tuần, công viên đầy những tí nhau chạy nhảy.)
  • My sister just gave birth to a lovely little tí nhau. (Chị tôi vừa sinh một tí nhau đáng yêu.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is inherently informal and is typically used in friendly, familial, or intimate contexts. It is not used in formal writing or official documents.
• It often implies a sense of fondness and care from the speaker towards the children being mentioned.

Variants and Related Words

• Trẻ con (n): children, kids (a standard, neutral term).
• Bé (n): baby, little child (common affectionate term).
• Nhóc (n): kid, brat (colloquial, can be affectionate or slightly cheeky).
• Trẻ nhỏ (n): young children, little ones (slightly more formal than "trẻ con").

Synonyms

• Tot: a very young child.
• Little one: an affectionate term for a child.
• Youngster: a young person or child.
• Baby: an infant or very young child.

Related Idioms

• Đầu tắt mặt tối vì đàn tí nhau: To be extremely busy and worn out because of a bunch of little kids. This idiom describes the exhausting life of parents with young children.
  • Ever since the twins were born, they've been đầu tắt mặt tối vì đàn tí nhau. (Từ khi sinh đôi, họ lúc nào cũng đầu tắt mặt tối vì đàn tí nhau.)