Definition

1. Verb:
   • To cost / to incur a loss: To require the expenditure or consumption of something valuable, such as effort, time, or resources, often implying a significant or regrettable depletion.
   • To harm / to damage: To cause detriment or injury to something abstract, such as virtue, health, or reputation.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Dự án này tổn nhiều tiền của. (This project costs a lot of money.)
  • Làm việc quá sức tổn đến sức khỏe. (Overworking harms one's health.)
  • Hành động đó tổn đức. (That action damages one's virtue.)

Advanced Usage

• "tổn hao": to deplete, to cause loss or wastage.

  • Chiến tranh tổn hao nhiều sinh mạng. (The war caused the depletion of many lives.)

• "tổn thất": to suffer a loss or damage (often used as a noun: "tổn thất" meaning "loss").

  • Công ty tổn thất nặng sau vụ hỏa hoạn. (The company suffered heavy losses after the fire.)

Variants and Related Words

• Tổn hại (v/n): to harm, to cause damage; damage, detriment.

  • Lời nói thiếu suy nghĩ có thể gây tổn hại. (Thoughtless words can cause harm.)

• Tổn thương (v/n): to hurt, to injure (often emotionally or physically); injury, wound.

  • Đừng làm tổn thương người khác. (Don't hurt others.)

Synonyms

• Cost: to require payment or sacrifice.
• Deplete: to reduce the amount of something.
• Harm: to cause damage or injury.
• Impair: to weaken or damage.

Related Idioms

• Tổn công, tốn của: to cost effort and money (often paired with "tốn").

  • Việc sửa nhà tổn công, tốn của. (Renovating the house costs a lot of effort and money.)

• Tổn thọ: to shorten one's lifespan (often used in warnings).

  • Lo lắng quá nhiều dễ tổn thọ. (Worrying too much can shorten your lifespan.)