thôi thì
Definition
- Particle / Interjection:
- Well then / In that case / So be it: Used to express reluctant acceptance, resignation, or a decision to proceed with something after consideration or when other options are exhausted. It signals a shift to a pragmatic or concessive course of action.
- Anyway / All in all: Used to introduce a concluding or summarizing point, often before listing items or finalizing a thought.
Usage Examples
- Particle / Interjection:
- Thôi thì chúng ta cứ đi đi. (Well then, let's just go.)
- Thôi thì tôi sẽ giúp anh một lần này. (So be it, I will help you this one time.)
- Nào cam, nào bưởi, nào chuối, thôi thì đủ các loại hoa quả. (Oranges, grapefruits, bananas, all in all, every kind of fruit.)
Advanced Usage
"Thôi thì... đành...": A common pattern expressing reluctant acceptance of an imperfect situation.
- Thôi thì đành chấp nhận vậy. (Well then, I guess we have to accept it.)
Used to soften a suggestion or command, making it sound less direct.
- Thôi thì mình về thôi. (Well then, let's just go home.)
Variants and Related Words
- Thôi (interjection): To stop, to cease; used to suggest ending an action or as an exclamation meaning "enough" or "forget it."
- Thế thì (conjunction): Then, in that case (more neutral, less concessive than "thôi thì").
Synonyms
- Well then: Used to move forward after deliberation.
- In that case: Used to indicate a consequence of a preceding situation.
- So be it: Expresses acceptance, often reluctant.
- All in all: Used to summarize.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Thôi thì ba bảy cũng là thôi: An idiom meaning "in for a penny, in for a pound" or "might as well go all the way," emphasizing full commitment once a decision is reluctantly made.
- Thôi thì đã vậy: A phrase meaning "since it's already like that" or "given the circumstances," used to justify a resigned decision.