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thì. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
thì, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
thì in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
thì you have here. The definition of the word
thì will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
thì, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
See also: Thi,
thi,
thi-,
thí,
thī,
Thị,
thị,
ʈʰi,
thĩ,
thî,
þi, and þí
Vietnamese
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
Sino-Vietnamese word from 時 (“time”). Doublet of thời and giờ.
Noun
thì
- Alternative form of thời (“time; period”)
- dăm thì mười hoạ ― seldomly
- the prime time in terms of physical development
- (grammar) a tense
- thì quá khứ ― past tense
See also
Etymology 2
Most likely from etymology 1.
Particle
thì
- (after noun or pronoun or nominalized utterances) as for ..., it is/does/will ...
- tham thì thâm ― Greed will lead to one's downfall (literally, “As for greedy, bruises”)
Hỏi nó thử xem. Tao thì sao cũng được.- Try asking him about it. I'm all for it.
- (literally, “Try asking him. As for me, anything is good.”)
Có chí thì nên.- So long as you have your will, you will achieve greatness.
- (literally, “As for has willpower, great.”)
Thôi đi cha nội! Mày thì biết cái gì!- Just shaddap! The hell do ya know?
- (literally, “Stop it, paternal father! As for you, know what?”)
Chồng thì gia trưởng, con thì hư đốn. Thôi tôi chết quách cho rồi!- My husband is a damn patriarch, my children are a spoiled bunch. Just grant me death already!
- (literally, “As for husband, patriarchal, as for children, naughty. Forget it, I'll die!”)
Làm thì lười, thấy lòng lợn thì gắp lia lịa.- You always goof off, and yet when you see food you take more bites than you can swallow.
- (literally, “As for when you work, you are lazy, as for when you see pig guts, you grab them non-stop.”)
- (informal) in that case, then ...; well, then ...
Nếu ổng hỏi thì làm sao?
Thì cứ vờ như không biết chứ sao!- What if he asks?
Just pretend you didn't know then! - (literally, “If he asks, what ?
In that case, just pretend you didn't know!”)
Ổng mà hỏi là chết tao!
Thì mày cứ vờ như không biết!- Man, if he asks me, I'm so dead!
Just pretend you didn't know then! - (literally, “He asks, doom me!
In that case, just pretend you didn't know!”)
Usage notes
- Used quite similarly to the Japanese topic particle は (wa) to mark the topic of a sentence. However, unlike the Japanese counterpart, it doesn't need to accompany words for time or place to specify contrast; in those cases, such words may be simply treated as adverbials like their English equivalents. For example:
Hôm nay (thì) để tao đãi.- Today, I'll treat.
- (literally, “As for today (as opposed to other days), let me treat.”)
- Can accompany nếu (“if”) and be translated as "then". In that case, the whole preceding "nếu-clause" functions like a noun.
Nếu mày biết lỗi thì được.- If you're sorry, then it'll be fine.
- (literally, “As for the fact that you're sorry, it's okay then.”)
See also