Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Petty, small-minded, overly concerned with trivial details: Describes a person's character, behavior, or calculations that are focused on insignificant, minor matters, often in a stingy or mean-spirited way.
   • Tiny, fragmented into useless pieces: Describes physical objects that are broken into very small, often worthless bits.

Usage Examples

• Adjective (Character/Behavior):
  • Anh ta có tính toán tủn mủn về tiền bạc. (He makes petty calculations about money.)
  • Đừng có tư tưởng tủn mủn, hãy nghĩ đến lợi ích chung. (Don't have a small-minded mentality; think of the common good.)
• Adjective (Physical State):
  • Tờ giấy bị xé thành những mảnh tủn mủn. (The paper was torn into tiny, useless pieces.)

Advanced Usage

• "tính toán tủn mủn": to make petty/mean calculations.
  • Sự thành công không được xây dựng từ những tính toán tủn mủn. (Success is not built on petty calculations.)
• "tính khí tủn mủn": a petty/small-minded disposition.
  • Không ai muốn hợp tác với người có tính khí tủn mủn. (No one wants to cooperate with a person of petty disposition.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nhỏ mọn (adj): petty, trivial. Often used interchangeably with for character, but less for physical objects.
  • Đó là một chuyện nhỏ mọn, đừng bận tâm. (That is a trivial matter, don't worry about it.)
• Vụn vặt (adj): trivial, fragmentary. Can describe both insignificant matters and small physical pieces.
  • Công việc vụn vặt hàng ngày. (Daily trivial tasks.)

Synonyms

• Keo kiệt: stingy, miserly (emphasizes stinginess with money).
• Chi ly: nitpicking, overly meticulous (emphasizes excessive attention to minute details).

Related Phrases

• Chuyện tủn mủn: petty/trivial matters.
  • Bỏ qua những chuyện tủn mủn đi. (Forget about those petty matters.)
• Suy nghĩ tủn mủn: petty/small-minded thinking.
  • Suy nghĩ tủn mủn sẽ cản trở sự phát triển. (Petty thinking will hinder development.)

adj

1. small petty, mean