tự hỏi
Definition
- Verb:
- To wonder: To think about something with curiosity, doubt, or a desire to know more. It expresses a question or thought in one's own mind.
- To ask oneself: To pose a question internally, to engage in self-reflection or inquiry.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Tôi tự hỏi khi nào cô ấy sẽ đến. (I wonder when she will arrive.)
- Anh ấy tự hỏi liệu mình đã quyết định đúng. (He wondered if he had made the right decision.)
- Chúng tôi tự hỏi về tương lai. (We wondered about the future.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase "tự hỏi" is inherently reflexive, focusing on internal thought. It is often followed by interrogative words like "liệu" (whether), "khi nào" (when), "tại sao" (why), or a clause beginning with "nếu" (if).
- Cô ấy tự hỏi liệu cuộc sống ở thành phố khác sẽ thế nào. (She wondered what life in a different city would be like.)
Variants and Related Words
Thắc mắc (v): To question, to have a doubt. This often implies a question that could be asked aloud, while "tự hỏi" is more internal.
- Học sinh thắc mắc về bài giảng. (The student questioned the lecture.)
Ngẫm nghĩ (v): To ponder, to contemplate deeply. This suggests more prolonged and profound thought than "tự hỏi."
- Ông ấy ngẫm nghĩ về ý nghĩa cuộc sống. (He pondered the meaning of life.)
Synonyms
- Wonder: To feel curiosity or doubt.
- Ponder: To think about something carefully.
- Question (oneself): To consider a doubt internally.
Related Idioms
- Tự vấn lương tâm: To examine one's conscience. This is a deeper, more moral form of self-questioning.
- Trước khi hành động, anh ấy tự vấn lương tâm. (Before acting, he examined his conscience.)