Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Completely empty, containing nothing: Describes a space, container, or area that is utterly vacant and lacks any contents.
   • Lacking courtesy forms of address (in speech): Describes a manner of speaking that omits expected polite pronouns or terms of address, making it sound blunt or rude.

Usage Examples

• Adjective (Empty):
  • Căn phòng trống không không có đồ đạc. (The room was completely empty, without any furniture.)
  • Chiếc hộp trống không. (The box is empty.)
• Adjective (Blunt speech):
  • Đừng nói trống không với người lớn. (Don't speak bluntly [without proper address] to elders.)
  • Anh ấy trả lời tôi một cách trống không. (He answered me in a blunt manner [without "you"/"sir"/etc.].)

Advanced Usage

• "trống trơn": A near-synonym emphasizing emptiness, often for spaces. It is less commonly used for speech.
  • Sau khi chuyển đi, căn hộ trống trơn. (After moving out, the apartment was completely bare.)
• The phrase "nói trống không" is a fixed collocation specifically describing blunt speech.

Variants and Related Words

• Trống (adj): Empty, vacant (can describe a seat, position, or space). Less absolute than "trống không".
  • Ghế này còn trống. (This seat is free/vacant.)
• Rỗng (adj): Hollow, empty (can describe physical hollowness or abstract emptiness).
  • Một cái thùng rỗng. (An empty barrel.)
  • Cảm giác trống rỗng. (A feeling of emptiness.)

Synonyms

• Trống rỗng: Empty, void (can be used for both physical spaces and abstract feelings).
• Trống huếch trống hoác (idiomatic): Gauntly empty, describing a large, conspicuously empty space.

Notes on Different Meanings

1. Literal Emptiness: The primary meaning refers to the absolute absence of objects in a physical space.
2. Linguistic/Behavioral Meaning: This is a culturally specific usage. In Vietnamese, polite speech requires appropriate personal pronouns and kinship terms. Speaking "trống không" violates this norm, showing a lack of respect or manners. This meaning does not have a direct single-word equivalent in English and is usually explained with phrases like "to speak bluntly without polite address".

adjective

1. empty
2. unaddressed