cầm chừng

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The Vietnamese phrase "cầm chừng" refers to doing something in a way that shows indifference or a lack of full commitment. It can be translated into English as "half-heartedly" or "perfunctorily." When someone does something "cầm chừng," they are not fully engaged or enthusiastic about it; they are just getting by without much effort or care.

Usage Instructions:

• You can use "cầm chừng" to describe a variety of activities or behaviors, especially in work or tasks where someone is not putting in their best effort.
• It often implies that the person is doing the minimum required, without enthusiasm or energy.

Examples:

1. Làm việc cầm chừng: This means "to work half-heartedly." For instance, if an employee is just going through the motions without really caring about the outcome, you can say they are "làm việc cầm chừng."

2. Bắn cầm chừng để chờ viện binh: This translates to "to keep firing at an indifferent level while waiting for reinforcements." It suggests that someone is engaged in an activity (like shooting) but only doing so without full effort or commitment, waiting for more support.

Advanced Usage:

• You can use "cầm chừng" in more complex sentences to discuss situations where someone is waiting for better conditions or support before fully committing to an action.
• For example: "Trong tình huống khó khăn này, chúng ta chỉ có thể làm việc cầm chừng cho đến khi có thêm nguồn lực." (In this difficult situation, we can only work half-heartedly until we have more resources.)

Word Variants:

• "Cầm chừng" can be adapted into different contexts, but the core meaning remains the same. It can be used with various verbs, such as "học" (to study), "chơi" (to play), etc.
  • Học cầm chừng: Studying half-heartedly.
  • Chơi cầm chừng: Playing without enthusiasm.

Different Meanings:

While "cầm chừng" mainly conveys indifference, it can also imply a sense of waiting or being cautious. For instance, if someone is "cầm chừng" in a decision, they may be taking their time to ensure they make the right choice instead of rushing into it.

Synonyms:

• Nửa vời: This also means half-heartedly or half-done, indicating a lack of full effort.
• Làm tạm: This means to do something temporarily or in a makeshift way, which can carry a similar connotation of insufficient commitment.

Academic

1. At an indifferent level, half-heartedly, perfunctorily
   • làm việc cầm chừng
     To work perfunctorily, to work half-heartedly
   • bắn cầm chừng để chờ viện binh
     to keep firing at an indifferent level while waiting for reinforcements, to fire sporadically while waiting for reinforcements