Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Relative; comparative: Describes something that is not absolute or fixed, but exists or is understood in relation to something else. It indicates a state or quality that is dependent on context or comparison.
   • Fairly good; acceptable; passable: Used informally to describe something as being of a moderately satisfactory standard.

2. Adverb:

   • Relatively; comparatively: Used to modify an adjective or another adverb, indicating that the degree or quality is measured or judged in comparison to something else, not in absolute terms.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Đó là một khái niệm tương đối. (That is a relative concept.)
  • Sức khỏe của ông ấy ở mức tương đối. (His health is at an acceptable level.)
• Adverb:
  • Căn phòng này tương đối rộng. (This room is relatively spacious.)
  • Công việc tiến triển tương đối tốt. (The work is progressing comparatively well.)

Advanced Usage

• In Physics and Philosophy: Used in terms like "thuyết tương đối" (theory of relativity), referring to Einstein's theories.
  • Thuyết tương đối đã thay đổi vật lý hiện đại. (The theory of relativity changed modern physics.)
• Relative Motion / Value: Used in technical contexts such as "chuyển động tương đối" (relative motion) or "giá trị tương đối" (relative value).

Variants and Related Words

• Tính tương đối (n): Relativity; the quality of being relative.
  • Tính tương đối của mọi tri thức. (The relativity of all knowledge.)

Synonyms

• Adjective: Comparative, relational, conditional.
• Adverb: Comparatively, fairly, moderately, reasonably.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Tự do tương đối: Relative freedom.
  • Không có tự do tuyệt đối, chỉ có tự do tương đối. (There is no absolute freedom, only relative freedom.)
• Sức mạnh tương đối: Relative strength.
  • Phải đánh giá sức mạnh tương đối giữa hai đội. (We must assess the relative strength between the two teams.)

adj

1. relative

adv

1. relatively