Definition

Adjective 1. Nearly, almost, close to happening: Describes a situation where something almost occurred but did not, or a quantity that is just slightly less than a certain amount. - Chỉ một chút nữa, suýt nữa: Diễn tả một sự việc suýt xảy ra nhưng đã không xảy ra, hoặc một số lượng chỉ kém một chút so với một mức nào đó.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Tôi xúyt ngã trên cầu thang. (I nearly fell on the stairs.)
  • Anh ấy xúyt nữa thì trúng số. (He almost won the lottery.)
  • Chúng tôi xúyt đến trễ vì kẹt xe. (We were close to being late because of the traffic jam.)

Advanced Usage

• "Xúyt xoát": An intensified form meaning "very nearly" or "by a hair's breadth".
  • Chiếc xe tải đi xúyt xoát bên cạnh tôi. (The truck passed extremely close to me.)
• "Xúyt nữa thì...": A common phrase structure meaning "was/were almost...".
  • Xúyt nữa thì tôi quên chìa khóa. (I almost forgot the keys.)

Variants and Related Words

• Suýt: The more common standard spelling of "xúyt". The meanings and usage are identical.
  • Cô ấy suýt khóc. (She almost cried.)
• Suýt soát / Xúyt xoát (Adjective/Adverb): Describes something being very close in measure, level, or outcome; nearly equal.
  • Hai đội chơi suýt soát nhau. (The two teams played a very close match.)
• Suýt chết / Xúyt chết (Verb phrase): Means "almost died", used figuratively to express a great scare or a very close call.
  • Tôi suýt chết khiếp vì tiếng nổ. (I was scared to death by the explosion.)

Synonyms

• Gần: Near, close to (in space or time). ("Xúyt" emphasizes a narrower margin from an event).
• Hầu như: Almost, nearly (often used for states or probabilities).
• Mém: (Colloquial) Very nearly, by a whisker.

Notes on Usage

• "Xúyt" is primarily used in spoken Vietnamese and informal writing. The standard written form is "suýt".
• It functions as an adverb modifying verbs (e.g., - almost fell) but is classified as an adjective in traditional Vietnamese grammar when describing the state of "being near" an event.
• It is rarely used alone; it is almost always followed by a verb or a phrase describing the event that almost happened.

adjective

1. nearly