Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Discouraged / Disheartened: To lose one's spirit, motivation, or enthusiasm, often due to difficulties, failures, or setbacks. It describes a state of diminished will to continue.
   • Demoralized: To have a decline in confidence or morale.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Sau nhiều lần thất bại, anh ấy cảm thấy thối chí. (After many failures, he felt discouraged.)
  • Đừng thối chí vì một vài khó khăn ban đầu. (Don't be disheartened by a few initial difficulties.)
  • Cô ấy không bao giờ thối chí trước thử thách. (She never gets demoralized in the face of challenges.)

Advanced Usage

• This word is often used to describe a temporary or profound loss of fighting spirit or determination when pursuing a goal.

Variants and Related Words

• Thoái chí (adj): This is the more standard, formal synonym with identical meaning (to become discouraged).
  • Thất bại khiến cậu ấy thoái chí. (The failure caused him to become discouraged.)

Synonyms

• Discouraged: Having lost confidence or enthusiasm.
• Disheartened: Made less hopeful or enthusiastic.
• Demoralized: Having lost confidence or morale; dispirited.
• Crestfallen: Sad and disappointed.

Antonyms

• Encouraged: Given support, confidence, or hope.
• Determined: Having made a firm decision and being resolved not to change it.
• Persistent: Continuing firmly in a course of action despite difficulty.

Related Idioms

• "Chưa đánh đã thua": Literally "to lose before fighting," implying a defeatist or discouraged attitude from the start. This concept is closely related to the state of being .
  • Anh ấy có tâm lý "chưa đánh đã thua" nên rất dễ thối chí. (He has a "defeat before fighting" mentality so he gets discouraged easily.)