thế
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- Position, situation, posture: The overall arrangement of conditions or circumstances that create an advantage or disadvantage. Often refers to a strategic stance in contexts like chess, battle, or life.
- Power, authority, influence: Social or positional power that one can wield or rely on.
- The world, life (archaic/literary): Refers to worldly affairs or human life.
Verb:
- To substitute, to replace: To put one thing in the place of another that is missing or needed.
- To pawn, to mortgage: To give an item as collateral for a loan.
Pronoun/Demonstrative:
- Like that, such, so, thus: Used to refer to something already mentioned, known, or immediately apparent. It points to a manner, degree, or specific situation.
- Then, in that case: Used to introduce a consequence or a follow-up question based on a preceding situation.
Particle/Interjection:
- Used for emphasis or exclamation: Placed at the end of exclamatory sentences to express surprise, admiration, or strong feeling about a high degree of something.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- Thế cờ này rất phức tạp. (This chess position is very complex.)
- Hắn cậy thế cha mình để bắt nạt người khác. (He relies on his father's influence to bully others.)
Verb:
- Tôi không có tiền mặt, tôi thế chiếc đồng hồ này được không? (I don't have cash, can I pawn this watch?)
- Nếu không có chanh, bạn có thể thế bằng giấm. (If there's no lemon, you can substitute it with vinegar.)
Pronoun/Demonstrative:
- Cứ làm thế đi. (Just do it like that.)
- "Tôi mệt." — "Thế bạn nghỉ ngơi đi." ("I'm tired." — "Then you should rest.")
Particle:
- Cô ấy hát hay thế! (She sings so well!)
- Sao mà đắt thế! (Why is it so expensive!)
Advanced Usage
"Thế à?" / "Thế ạ?": A common conversational phrase meaning "Is that so?" or "Really?" used to express mild surprise or acknowledgment.
- "Hôm nay nó nghỉ học." — "Thế à?" ("He's absent from school today." — "Is that so?")
"Thế thì...": Means "In that case, then..." Used to state a conclusion or decision based on prior information.
- "Xe hỏng rồi." — "Thế thì chúng ta đi taxi." ("The car is broken." — "In that case, let's take a taxi.")
"Đến thế là cùng": An idiom meaning "That's the limit" or "That's as far as it goes," indicating an extreme degree.
- Giỏi đến thế là cùng! (That's unbelievably good!)
Variants and Related Words
- Thế gian (n): The mortal world, earthly life.
- Thế lực (n): Force, power, faction.
- Thế hệ (n): Generation.
- Thế kỷ (n): Century.
- Thế chấp (v): To mortgage (property, typically real estate).
- Thay thế (v): To replace, to substitute.
Synonyms
- Noun (Position): Tư thế (posture), tình thế (situation), hoàn cảnh (circumstances).
- Noun (Power): Quyền thế (authority), ảnh hưởng (influence).
- Verb (Substitute): Thay, thay thế.
- Pronoun: Như vậy, như thế (like that).
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Cậy thế: To rely on one's power or influence (often with a negative connotation).
- Đừng cậy thế mà ỷ lại. (Don't rely on your influence and become dependent.)
- Thế sự: Worldly affairs.
- Ông ấy am hiểu thế sự. (He has a deep understanding of worldly affairs.)
- Mất thế: To be at a disadvantage, to lose one's advantageous position.
- Đội nhà đang mất thế trên sân. (The home team is losing its advantage on the field.)
noun
- position disposition, posture power, authoritative like that, such, so
verb
- to replace, to substitute to mortgage