Definition

1. Noun:
   • Habit, practice: A repeated way of living or behaving, often negative, formed over a long period and difficult to change. It refers to a customary manner or pattern of action.

Usage

• "Thói" is a noun used to describe a habitual, ingrained way of behaving, often with a negative connotation. It is commonly used in compound phrases to specify a particular bad habit or custom.
• It is rarely used alone in modern Vietnamese; it typically forms compounds with other words (e.g., , ). When explaining the core meaning, we focus on the concept it conveys within these compounds.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Anh ta có thói nói dối. (He has the habit of lying.)
  • Thói ăn cắp vặt là rất xấu. (The habit/practice of petty theft is very bad.)
  • Cần phải bỏ thói lười biếng. (You must quit the habit of laziness.)

Advanced Usage

• "Thói đời": A cynical phrase meaning "the way of the world," often referring to common but negative societal behaviors.
  • Thói đời là "ăn cỗ đi trước, lội nước theo sau". (The way of the world is to "be first to the feast, but last into the water" [i.e., take the good, avoid the bad].)
• "Thói thường": Common practice, the usual way.
  • Thói thường, người ta hay sợ thay đổi. (Commonly, people are often afraid of change.)

Variants and Related Words

• Thói quen (noun): Habit (can be neutral or negative). This is the most common compound.
  • Tập thói quen đọc sách mỗi tối. (Cultivate the habit of reading every night.)
• Thói hư (noun): Bad habit, vice (specifically negative).
  • Trẻ con cần được uốn nắn để sửa các thói hư. (Children need guidance to correct their bad habits.)
• Tật xấu (noun): Bad habit, flaw (similar to , often used in the pair ).
• Tập quán (noun): Custom, practice (often broader, cultural, and can be neutral).

Synonyms

• Tập tính: Inclination, acquired nature.
• Lề thói: Custom, practice (more formal, often for traditions).
• Nếp: Manner, way (as in - way of life).

Related Idioms and Proverbs

• "Đất có lề, quê có thói.": (The land has its ridges, the village has its customs.) Meaning: Every place has its own rules and traditions that should be respected.
• "Thói thường gần mực thì đen, gần đèn thì sáng.": (The common habit/truth is that near ink you get black, near a lamp you become bright.) Meaning: One is influenced by one's environment. (This uses in the sense of a common truth or pattern.)
• "Giàu đổi bạn, sang đổi vợ" là một thói xấu. ("Rich, change friends; noble, change wife" is a bad practice.)

noun

1. habit, practice