đáng lí

Definition

1. Adverbial phrase:
   • Ought to / Should have: Used to express that something was reasonable, logical, or expected to happen in the past, but it did not. It conveys a sense of missed expectation or a logical conclusion that was not realized.
   • By rights / In principle: Indicates what would be correct, fair, or proper according to logic or common sense in a given situation.

Usage Examples

• Adverbial phrase:
  • Đáng lí anh ấy phải đến sớm hơn. (He ought to have arrived earlier.)
  • Đáng lí chúng ta nên kiểm tra kỹ trước khi đi. (We should have checked carefully before leaving.)
  • Cô ấy đáng lí đã thắng cuộc thi. (By rights, she should have won the competition.)

Advanced Usage

• Often used with modal verbs like "phải" (must), "nên" (should), or "đã" (indicating past tense) to complete the thought about an unfulfilled action.
• It can introduce a clause that states the logical or expected outcome, which is then often contrasted with reality.
  • Đáng lí trời đã mưa, vì rất oi bức. (It should have rained, because it was very muggy.)

Variants and Related Words

• Đáng lẽ (adverbial phrase): A common variant with identical meaning and usage to "đáng lí."

  • Đáng lẽ tôi không nên nói vậy. (I shouldn't have said that.)

• Lẽ ra (adverbial phrase): A closely related phrase meaning "should have" or "ought to have," often used interchangeably with "đáng lí."

  • Lẽ ra hôm nay tôi được nghỉ. (I should have had the day off today.)

Synonyms

• Should have: Used to indicate a missed obligation or opportunity in the past.
• Ought to have: Suggests a moral duty or logical action that was not taken.
• By rights: According to what is fair or correct.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Đáng lí ra: An extended, emphatic form of "đáng lí," reinforcing the sense of a logical expectation.
  • Đáng lí ra dự án phải hoàn thành rồi. (The project ought to have been finished by now.)