Definition

1. Adjective/Adverbial Phrase:
   • In vain / For nothing: Describes an action, effort, or time that has been wasted because it did not achieve the desired or expected result.
   • Futile / Pointless: Characterizes an endeavor as useless or having no chance of success from the outset.

Usage Examples

• Adjective/Adverbial Phrase:
  • Cố gắng sửa cái máy cũ ấy thật là uổng công. (Trying to fix that old machine is truly in vain.)
  • Chúng tôi chờ đợi uổng công cả buổi sáng. (We waited for nothing the whole morning.)
  • Uổng công tôi đã dành nhiều thời gian chuẩn bị. (It was pointless that I spent so much time preparing.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is often used to express regret, frustration, or a warning about the fruitlessness of an action. It can stand alone as an exclamation: "" (What a waste of effort!).

Variants and Related Words

• Công cốc (adj/phrase): A more colloquial synonym meaning "in vain," "for nothing."
  • Làm thế chỉ tốn sức công cốc. (Doing that is just a futile waste of energy.)
• Vô ích (adj): Useless, futile. While similar, often describes a thing or action's inherent uselessness, whereas emphasizes the waste of effort or time already expended.

Synonyms

• In vain: Without success or a result.
• Futile: Incapable of producing any useful result; pointless.
• For nothing: With no reward, result, or purpose.

Related Idioms

• Uổng công vô ích: A reinforced phrase meaning "completely in vain" or "a total waste of effort."
  • Mọi nỗ lực của họ hóa ra uổng công vô ích. (All their efforts turned out to be completely in vain.)