to
/tu:, tu, tə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Big; large: Refers to a significant physical size, volume, or quantity, exceeding the norm or average.
- Loud: Describes a sound of high intensity or volume.
- Major; significant: Indicates something of considerable scale, importance, strength, or impact.
- High-ranking (colloquial): Pertains to a person holding a high position or great authority.
Usage Examples
- Adjective (Big/Large):
- Cây to. (A big tree.)
- Anh ấy có số tiền to. (He has a large sum of money.)
- Adjective (Loud):
- Đừng nói to quá! (Don't speak so loudly!)
- Tiếng chuông kêu to. (The bell rings loudly.)
- Adjective (Major/Significant):
- Cơn bão rất to. (The storm is very strong/major.)
- Công ty thua to trong vụ kiện. (The company suffered a major loss in the lawsuit.)
- Adjective (High-ranking):
- Ông ấy là một quan to. (He is a high-ranking official.)
Advanced Usage
- "to gan": Literally "big liver," meaning bold, daring, or audacious.
- Hắn thật to gan dám làm thế. (He is truly audacious to dare do that.)
- "to tát": Emphasizes something as being very big, major, or serious.
- Đó là một sai lầm to tát. (That is a huge mistake.)
Variants and Related Words
- To lớn (adj): Great, immense, enormous (often for abstract concepts like gratitude, contribution).
- Lòng biết ơn to lớn. (Great gratitude.)
- To xác (adj): Big-bodied, bulky (can be neutral or slightly derogatory).
- Con vật to xác nhưng hiền lành. (The animal is bulky but gentle.)
Synonyms
- Large; big: For physical size.
- Loud: For sound volume.
- Major; considerable; significant: For importance or scale.
- High-ranking; prominent: For social or official position.
Related Idioms
- Bé xé ra to: To make a mountain out of a molehill; to exaggerate a small problem.
- Chuyện nhỏ thôi, đừng bé xé ra to. (It's a small matter, don't make a mountain out of a molehill.)
- To đầu mà dại: Literally "big head but foolish"; used for someone who is adult or important but acts stupidly.
- Đã là người lớn rồi còn làm thế, đúng là to đầu mà dại. (You're an adult and still do that, truly a fool despite your age/status.)