kẻ + Verb
The One Who Does (Pejorative)
Use kẻ before a verb or adjective to mean 'the one who [does/is something].' While it often marks a specific person as a wrongdoer or someone unworthy of respect, it is also widely used neutrally to describe general categories of people or in contrasting pairs.
How It Works
In modern Vietnamese, kẻ is a highly productive word that combines with verbs or adjectives to mean 'the one who.' In everyday conversation, when referring to specific individuals, it often carries a derogatory tone, stripping the person of respect (e.g., kẻ lừa đảo - the fraudster, những kẻ vô ý thức - those who lack awareness).
Important Nuance: It is a common misconception that kẻ is always pejorative. In modern Vietnamese, it is frequently used neutrally to describe general categories of people or philosophical concepts (e.g., kẻ mạnh - the strong, kẻ yếu - the weak).
Furthermore, a core modern usage is in contrasting pairs, often paired with người or another kẻ (e.g., kẻ khóc, người cười - some cry, some laugh; kẻ thắng, người thua - the winner and the loser). Note: While you will also see kẻ combined with nouns in fixed historical or formal words (like kẻ thù - enemy), its combination with verbs and adjectives is what you will actively use to become confident with describing people's actions and traits.
Examples (4)
- Cảnh sát đang truy tìm kẻ giết người.
The police are hunting down the murderer.
Word by Word: Police in-progress hunt search the-one kill person.
A formal, journalistic use of kẻ to describe a severe wrongdoer.
- Hắn ta chỉ là một kẻ nói dối.
He is just a liar.
Word by Word: He only is one the-one speak lie.
Compared to 'người nói dối' (a person who lies), 'kẻ nói dối' is a harsh, dismissive judgment.
- Kẻ cắp đã đột nhập vào nhà chúng tôi đêm qua.
The thief broke into our house last night.
Word by Word: The-one steal past break enter into house our night past.
Kẻ cắp is a highly frequent, fixed lexicalized compound for a wrongdoer.
- Kẻ ở người đi, buồn biết bao.
The one who stays, the one who leaves, how sad it is.
Word by Word: The-one stay person go, sad know how-much.
A classical/poetic usage where kẻ is completely neutral, used for rhythmic contrast with người.
Common Mistakes
Using kẻ as a direct, 1-to-1 translation for the English phrase 'the one who' in neutral or positive contexts.
Kẻ giúp tôi hôm qua là anh trai tôi.Người giúp tôi hôm qua là anh trai tôi.Using kẻ inadvertently insults the person who provided the help. Always use người for neutral or positive descriptions.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'kẻ + Verb', you need to be familiar with how Vietnamese uses classifiers to nominalize concepts and how nouns are modified by verbs or clauses. It is specifically a pejorative or formal alternative to using 'người' (person) as a head noun.
- Naming A Specific One
The word 'kẻ' functions as a specialized classifier or noun-marker that turns a verb into a specific person, following the standard classifier-noun structure.
Level 1 - ngườiClassifier for People
Understanding the neutral classifier for people ('người') is essential to contrast it with the pejorative or literary nuance of 'kẻ'.
Level 1 - Relative Clause Without A Linker
This pattern is a condensed form of a relative clause where a person is defined by their action without a linker.
Level 3
Related Patterns
- nhà + NounProfessional Agent Noun
Another way to create an agent noun, but used for respected professionals and experts rather than wrongdoers or general categories.
Level 5 - sự + VerbTurning a Verb into a Noun
While kẻ nominalizes a verb into the person doing the action, sự + Verb nominalizes a verb into the abstract concept or act of doing it.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice kẻ + Verb in Bubblegum
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