thoáng

Anh ấy đi ngang qua cửa sổ thoáng một cái.

Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Breezy, airy, well-ventilated: Describes a space that is open, allowing air to flow freely, creating a feeling of freshness and lack of stuffiness.
   • Brief, fleeting, momentary: Describes something that happens or is perceived for a very short, almost instantaneous, period of time.

2. Adverb:

   • Briefly, fleetingly: Indicates that an action is performed in a quick, passing manner.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Căn phòng này rất thoáng. (This room is very airy.)
  • Tôi chỉ có một thoáng nghi ngờ. (I only had a fleeting doubt.)
• Adverb:
  • Anh ấy thoáng nhìn thấy bóng người. (He briefly caught sight of a figure.)

Advanced Usage

• "thoáng qua": to flash by, to be transient.
  • Ý nghĩ đó chỉ thoáng qua trong đầu tôi. (That thought just flashed through my mind.)
• "thoáng đãng": spacious and airy.
  • Quảng trường rất thoáng đãng. (The square is very spacious and open.)

Variants and Related Words

• Thoang thoáng (adj): vague, faint, very slight and passing.
  • Có mùi hương thoang thoáng trong không khí. (There is a faint scent in the air.)
• Thoáng mát (adj): cool and airy.
  • Ngồi ở đây thật thoáng mát. (It's so cool and breezy sitting here.)

Synonyms

• Airy: allowing free movement of air.
• Fleeting: lasting for a very short time.
• Brief: of short duration.

Related Idioms

• Thoáng cái đã...: In the blink of an eye, something happened.
  • Thoáng cái đã hết một năm. (In the blink of an eye, a year has passed.)
• Thoáng nghe, thoáng thấy: to hear or see something in passing.
  • Tôi thoáng nghe thấy tin đó. (I heard that news in passing.)