thoạt
Definition
- Adverb:
- At first / Initially: Used to describe the very first moment of perception, observation, or the beginning of an action. It emphasizes the immediate starting point.
- As soon as / The moment (that): Used to indicate that one action or event happens immediately after another.
Usage Examples
- Adverb:
- Thoạt nhìn, căn phòng có vẻ rất nhỏ. (At first glance, the room seemed very small.)
- Thoạt nghe tin đó, cô ấy đã rất sốc. (Upon first hearing that news, she was very shocked.)
- Thoạt đến thành phố, tôi cảm thấy lạc lõng. (When I first arrived in the city, I felt lost.)
Advanced Usage
- The word "thoạt" is somewhat literary and formal. In everyday spoken Vietnamese, phrases like "lúc đầu" or "mới đầu" are more common for "at first."
- It is often used in fixed phrases like "thoạt nhìn" (at first sight/glance), "thoạt nghe" (upon first hearing), and "thoạt đến" (upon first arriving).
Variants and Related Words
- Thoạt tiên (adv): A synonym meaning "at first," "initially." It carries the same meaning but is slightly more emphatic.
- Thoạt tiên, dự án có nhiều khó khăn. (Initially, the project had many difficulties.)
Synonyms
- Lúc đầu / Ban đầu: At first, initially.
- Vừa mới: Just, newly (used for a very recent starting point).
- Ngay khi: As soon as.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Thoạt nói thoạt làm: No sooner said than done; to act immediately after speaking.
- Anh ấy là người thoạt nói thoạt làm. (He is a man of his word who acts immediately.)
- Thoạt nhìn đã biết: To know at first sight; to recognize immediately upon seeing.
- Thoạt nhìn đã biết đây là một kiệt tác. (You could tell it was a masterpiece at first sight.)