Definition

1. Noun (Grammar):
   • Function word / Grammatical particle: A word that has little or no lexical meaning on its own but serves to express grammatical relationships with other words within a sentence, or to specify the attitude or mood of the speaker. It is a type of "empty word" (hư từ) in Vietnamese grammar.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • In the sentence "Tôi đi với bạn" (I go with you), the word "với" (with) is a từ công cụ.
  • Words like "và" (and), "nhưng" (but), "của" (of), and "để" (in order to) are common từ công cụ in Vietnamese.
  • Từ công cụ is essential for constructing correct and meaningful sentences.

Advanced Usage

• Linguistic Analysis: is a key concept in analyzing Vietnamese syntax. It includes prepositions, conjunctions, and particles that structure sentences rather than convey concrete objects or actions.
• Contrast with Content Words: is often contrasted with "từ thực" (content words), which have clear, independent meanings (e.g., nouns, main verbs, adjectives).

Variants and Related Words

• Hư từ (n): Empty word; a synonym for .
• Trợ từ (n): Particle; a sub-category of that adds nuance or emphasis (e.g., "ạ", "nhé").
• Quan hệ từ (n): Relational word; a sub-category including conjunctions and prepositions.

Synonyms

• Function word
• Grammatical particle
• Empty word (hư từ)

Related Concepts

• Syntax: The study of sentence structure, where plays a crucial role.
• Morphology: The study of word formation, which typically does not apply to as they are usually invariable.