tiểu tâm
Definition
- Noun:
- Petty-mindedness; small-mindedness: The state or quality of having a narrow, mean, or ungenerous character; a focus on trivial matters with a lack of magnanimity.
- Meanness of spirit: Behavior or attitude characterized by pettiness, spite, or an inability to overlook minor issues.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Anh ta không được thăng chức vì tính tiểu tâm. (He wasn't promoted because of his petty-mindedness.)
- Đừng để tiểu tâm phá hỏng tình bạn. (Don't let small-mindedness ruin a friendship.)
- Sự tiểu tâm của cô ấy thể hiện qua những lời đàm tiếu. (Her meanness of spirit shows through her gossip.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "tiểu tâm" is often used in a moral or character critique, contrasting with ideals of generosity ("rộng lượng") and magnanimity ("cao thượng"). It describes a persistent character flaw rather than a single action.
Variants and Related Words
- Nhỏ nhen (adj): Petty, mean-spirited. This is a close synonym often used interchangeably with .
- Thái độ nhỏ nhen của anh ấy thật khó chịu. (His petty attitude is annoying.)
Synonyms
- Pettiness
- Small-mindedness
- Meanness (of spirit)
- Narrow-mindedness (in the context of generosity)
Related Idioms
- While "tiểu tâm" itself is not commonly part of a fixed idiom, the concept is central to the proverb:
- "Tiểu nhân tiểu tâm": This phrase contrasts the "petty person" ("tiểu nhân") with the "gentleman" ("quân tử"). It implies that a petty person is inherently small-minded.
- Hãy là một quân tử, đừng tiểu nhân tiểu tâm. (Be a gentleman, don't be a petty and small-minded person.)