đòi phen
Definition
- Adverb:
- Many times, on many occasions: Used to indicate that an event or situation has occurred repeatedly or at various points in time. It emphasizes frequency and recurrence over a period.
Usage Examples
- Adverb:
- Đòi phen tôi đã cố gắng khuyên anh ấy. (Many times, I have tried to advise him.)
- Đòi phen trời mưa to, đường phố ngập lụt. (On many occasions when it rained heavily, the streets flooded.)
- Cuộc sống đòi phen thật khó khăn. (Life has been difficult on many occasions.)
Advanced Usage
- This word is considered literary and somewhat formal or poetic in modern Vietnamese. It is more commonly found in written language, literature, or formal speech than in casual conversation.
Variants and Related Words
Nhiều phen (adv): Many times, many occasions. A direct synonym with identical meaning and usage.
- Nhiều phen ông ấy đã chứng minh được năng lực. (He has proven his ability many times.)
Đôi phen (adv): Occasionally, sometimes. This is a distinct but related term meaning "a couple of times" or "now and then," indicating less frequency than "đòi phen."
- Đôi phen tôi cũng cảm thấy mệt mỏi. (Occasionally, I also feel tired.)
Synonyms
- Many times: Occurring on numerous occasions.
- Repeatedly: Done again and again.
- On numerous occasions: At many different times.
Related Idioms
- While "đòi phen" itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, its meaning is central to expressions describing repeated experiences or the trials of life, such as the concept of "bao phen thăng trầm" (many ups and downs).
- Trải qua bao phen thăng trầm, họ vẫn bên nhau. (Having gone through many ups and downs, they are still together.)