đúng tuổi
Definition
Adjective phrase:
- Of the right age / Of the appropriate age: Meeting the specific age requirement for a particular purpose, such as for school enrollment, military service, legal rights, or social expectations.
- Age-appropriate: Behaving or having interests considered suitable for one's specific age.
Adjective phrase (colloquial):
- To come of age: To reach a significant age milestone, often implying maturity or eligibility.
Usage Examples
- Adjective phrase:
- Con tôi đã đúng tuổi đi học. (My child is now of the right age to go to school.)
- Anh ấy đúng tuổi nhập ngũ. (He is of the required age for military enlistment.)
- Cô ấy cư xử rất đúng tuổi. (She behaves in a very age-appropriate manner.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is often used in formal contexts related to regulations, laws, and institutional requirements.
- It can carry a neutral, descriptive tone or a slightly positive connotation of timeliness and conformity.
Variants and Related Words
Đủ tuổi (adj phrase): To be old enough, to have reached the necessary age. Often interchangeable with "đúng tuổi," but "đủ tuổi" can sometimes emphasize sufficiency rather than exact appropriateness.
- Nó đã đủ tuổi để lái xe. (He is old enough to drive.)
Trẻ tuổi (adj phrase): Young in age.
- Già tuổi (adj phrase): Old in age.
Synonyms
- Eligible (by age): Qualified by meeting the age requirement.
- Of age: Having reached the legally specified age.
Related Idioms
- Đến tuổi ăn, đến tuổi mặc: A saying implying that at a certain age, one should dress and act appropriately for that age.
- Tuổi nào, thức ấy: An idiom meaning "act your age," suggesting one's behavior should match their age.