Definition

1. Verb:
   • To die, to pass away, to breathe one's last: "tắt hơi" is a euphemistic and somewhat informal verb meaning to die, specifically referring to the cessation of breathing. It is synonymous with "tắt thở" (to stop breathing).

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Ông cụ đã tắt hơi lúc nửa đêm. (The old man passed away at midnight.)
  • Con chó bị thương nặng và tắt hơi ngay sau đó. (The dog was severely injured and died shortly after.)

Advanced Usage

• "tắt hơi tắt thở": This is a reinforced phrase for emphasis, meaning to die completely, to be utterly dead.
  • Kẻ phản bội đã bị trừng phạt, tắt hơi tắt thở tại chỗ. (The traitor was punished, dying on the spot.)

Variants and Related Words

• Tắt thở (verb): To stop breathing, to die. This is the most direct synonym.
• Tắt nghỉ (verb): To cease, to stop (often used euphemistically for death or the stopping of an activity like a machine). "Tắt hơi" is defined as "see tắt nghỉ, tắt thở".
• Qua đời (verb): To pass away (more formal and respectful than "tắt hơi").
• Chết (verb): To die (the most direct and common term).

Synonyms

• Chết: To die.
• Qua đời: To pass away.
• Từ trần: To depart from this life (formal, literary).

Notes on Usage

• Register: "Tắt hơi" is a colloquial and euphemistic term. It is less formal than "qua đời" or "từ trần" but less blunt than "chết". It is commonly used in everyday speech and narrative.
• Literal Meaning: The phrase literally means "the breath extinguishes/goes out," highlighting the final act of breathing.
• Context: It is typically used for people and animals. Using it for inanimate objects would be metaphorical or humorous (e.g., a broken-down car "tắt hơi").

verb

1. (xem) tắt nghỉ, tắt thở