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the-gioi
/tʰɛ̀˧˥ zɔ̀j˧ˀ˥/
Thế giới đang thay đổi nhanh chóng.
The world is changing rapidly.
general
The planet Earth and all its inhabitants and environments.
Con người là sinh vật thông minh nhất trên thế giới.
Humans are the most intelligent creatures on the world.
Công nghệ đã thay đổi cách chúng ta nhìn thế giới.
Technology has changed the way we see the world.
Often used in abstract or philosophical contexts as well, e.g., 'thế giới quan' (worldview).
Collocations
Pro Tip
Context matters
In Vietnamese, 'thế giới' can refer to the physical world or metaphorical spheres (e.g., 'thế giới âm nhạc' = the world of music). Pay attention to context to distinguish between the two.
Word Origin
From Chinese '世界' (shìjiè), where '世' means 'generation' or 'lifetime' and '界' means 'boundary' or 'realm'.
Usage Notes
Used in both literal (the Earth) and figurative (a sphere of activity or interest) senses. Common in compound nouns like 'thế giới ảo' (virtual world) or 'thế giới quan' (worldview).
Word Breakdown
thế
generation, era, or lifetime
rootgiới
boundary, realm, or world
rootTừ Điển Việt Anh