"Thôi": the small Vietnamese word with many jobs

Thôi is a small Vietnamese word that can mean "stop," "enough," "only/just," "never mind," or "alright then, let's go," depending on where it sits in a sentence and how it's said. It's one of the most common words in everyday speech, and once you notice it, you'll hear it everywhere.

How do you pronounce thôi?

A plain hint is "toy," but with a breathy "t." In Vietnamese, th is a "t" with a puff of air, like the "t" in English "top," not the "th" in "think." The vowel ô is like the "o" in "go," and it has a level tone, so keep your pitch flat: "thoy."

Job 1: stop, quit

As a verb, thôi means to stop doing something or to quit.

• Thôi đi! — Stop it! / Cut it out!
• Thôi khóc đi con. — Stop crying, sweetie. (A parent to a child.)
• Anh ấy thôi việc rồi. — He quit his job.

"Thôi đi!" can be playful among friends or sharp if said firmly, so tone matters.

Job 2: only, just (at the end of a sentence)

At the end of a sentence, thôi often means "only" or "that's all."

• Một cái thôi. — Just one.
• Em hỏi thôi mà. — I was only asking.
• Đùa thôi! — Just kidding!

This one is very handy for shopping and ordering: "Một ly thôi" means "Just one glass."

Job 3: alright then, let's wrap up

At the start of a sentence, thôi often signals a decision to move on: "okay, that's enough of that."

• Thôi, mình về nha. — Alright, let's head home.
• Thôi, ngủ đi. — Okay, go to sleep now.
• Thôi được. — Fine. / Alright, okay.

It's the verbal equivalent of standing up from the table.

Job 4: never mind, forget it

Thôi can also express letting go, sometimes with a shrug.

• Thôi kệ. — Whatever. / Forget it. / Let it be.
• Thôi, khỏi. — Never mind, no need.
• Thôi bỏ đi. — Just drop it.

These can sound resigned or a little dismissive, so use them with people you know.

Job 5: pleading or coaxing

With mà or nào, thôi softens into a request.

• Thôi mà! — Oh, come on! (pleading, often to stop teasing)
• Thôi nào. — Come on now. (gentle, encouraging)

A famous exclamation: thôi chết!

Thôi chết! literally combines thôi with chết ("to die"), but it simply means "Oh no!" or "Oh shoot!" It's used when you realize you forgot something or made a mistake: "Thôi chết, quên chìa khóa rồi!" ("Oh no, I forgot the keys!") Nobody is talking about actually dying; it's an everyday exclamation, a bit like "Oh crap" without the rudeness.

How do you tell the meanings apart?

Position and tone do most of the work:

• Start of sentence + pause: usually "alright then" or "never mind."
• End of sentence: usually "only" or "just."
• Before a verb, or with đi: usually "stop."
• With mà or nào: pleading or coaxing.
• Sighed: resignation, often paired with a weary "Haizz."

Context fills in the rest. If someone says "Thôi..." and trails off with a sigh, they're probably giving up on something.

Thôi in cartoons and dramas

Because thôi is so short and so expressive, it shows up constantly in Vietnamese TV dramas and comedy. A parent ending an argument, a friend calling off a plan, a character giving up on a hopeless task: all of these are thôi moments.

Duma Meow uses lines in the same spirit. When the playtime is over, a cat says "Hết giờ chơi." ("Playtime's over."), which does a similar wrap-it-up job. You can learn that phrase in hết giờ chơi: how to say playtime's over in Vietnamese.

Quick practice

Say these out loud and think about which job thôi is doing:

1. Một chén thôi. — Just one bowl.
2. Thôi, đi ăn đi. — Alright, let's go eat.
3. Thôi kệ nó. — Forget about it.
4. Thôi chết! — Oh no!

For other words that carry a lot of feeling in one syllable, read what does haizz mean in Vietnamese? and không sao đâu: how to say it's okay.

Start with "Đùa thôi!" (Just kidding!). It's easy to say, useful, and makes thôi's "only" meaning stick.