tọa thị
Definition
- Verb (archaic/literary):
- To sit and watch / to be a passive observer: The term "tọa thị" describes the act of sitting idly by and merely watching a situation unfold, especially a negative one, without taking any action to intervene or help. It implies a conscious choice of inaction or indifference.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Trước cảnh bất công, ông ấy không thể tọa thị. (Faced with injustice, he could not just sit and watch.)
- Chúng ta không nên tọa thị trước nỗi đau của người khác. (We should not be passive observers in the face of others' suffering.)
Advanced Usage
- This term is primarily used in formal, literary, or rhetorical contexts to criticize apathy or negligence. It often carries a strong moral judgment against those who have the power or responsibility to act but choose not to.
Variants and Related Words
Bàng quan (v): to be indifferent, to stand aloof from.
- Anh ta tỏ thái độ bàng quan với mọi việc. (He showed an indifferent attitude toward everything.)
Khoanh tay đứng nhìn (idiomatic phrase): to stand by with folded arms (and watch); to do nothing.
- Họ chỉ khoanh tay đứng nhìn khi sự việc xảy ra. (They just stood by and watched when the incident happened.)
Synonyms
- To stand idly by: to take no action to prevent something bad from happening.
- To be a spectator: to watch an event without being involved.
- To observe passively: to watch without intervening.
Related Idioms
- "Ngồi mát ăn bát vàng": To reap great rewards without effort; to profit from others' labor.
- While not a direct synonym, this idiom shares the thematic element of benefiting from a situation without active participation, contrasting with the negative inaction of "tọa thị."