tuế toái
Definition
- Adjective:
- Perfunctory; done in a careless or superficial manner just to get something over with. This term describes an action performed with minimal effort, without care or thoroughness, solely to complete a task.
- Done for the sake of formality. It implies completing an obligation in a token or nominal way, without genuine intent or attention to quality.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Anh ta làm việc một cách tuế toái. (He works in a perfunctory manner.)
- Đừng làm tuế toái, hãy cố gắng hết sức. (Don't do it perfunctorily; try your best.)
- Công việc đó chỉ được thực hiện một cách tuế toái cho xong. (That task was only done perfunctorily to get it over with.)
Advanced Usage
- The term tuế toái is considered literary and somewhat archaic in modern Vietnamese. It is often used in written critiques or formal speech to strongly criticize a lack of diligence or sincerity.
Variants and Related Words
- Qua loa (Adjective/Adverb): slipshod, cursory. A more common modern synonym with a very similar meaning.
- Bài tập làm qua loa sẽ không được chấp nhận. (Slipshod homework will not be accepted.)
Synonyms
- Perfunctory: carried out with minimal effort or reflection.
- Cursory: hasty and not thorough.
- Slipshod: characterized by a lack of care or thought.
- Token: done for the sake of appearances only.
Related Idioms
Làm cho có (Thành Phần): to do something just for the sake of doing it, to go through the motions.
- Anh ấy tham dự buổi họp một cách tuế toái, chỉ làm cho có. (He attended the meeting perfunctorily, just for the sake of it.)
Chiếu lệ (Adjective/Adverb): pro forma, as a mere formality. This idiom shares the connotation of fulfilling an obligation without real substance.
- Lời xin lỗi chiếu lệ của anh ấy chẳng có giá trị gì. (His pro forma apology was worthless.)