Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Foolish, silly, or frivolous: Describes a person who behaves in a silly, thoughtless, or unserious manner, often lacking focus or purpose.
   • Ineffectual or aimless: Characterizes actions or behavior that are pointless, unproductive, or lacking in substance.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Đừng có đú đa đú đởn nữa, tập trung vào công việc đi. (Stop being so silly and focus on your work.)
  • Cậu ấy lúc nào cũng có vẻ đú đa đú đởn, không lo lắng gì cả. (He always seems so frivolous, not worrying about anything.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is a reduplicative compound, where "đú đa" and "đú đởn" combine to create a more emphatic and rhythmic expression of foolishness or aimlessness. It is primarily used in spoken, informal Vietnamese.

Variants and Related Words

• Đú đởn (adj): The shorter, more common base form meaning frivolous or fooling around.
  • Thằng bé suốt ngày đú đởn, không chịu học. (The boy fools around all day and won't study.)

Synonyms

• Frivolous: Not having any serious purpose or value.
• Silly: Showing a lack of common sense or judgment; foolish.
• Aimless: Without purpose or direction.

Related Idioms

• While "đú đa đú đởn" itself is an idiomatic expression, it is often used in contexts similar to:
  • Chơi bời lêu lổng: To lead a dissolute, idle life.

    • Nó bỏ học để chơi bời lêu lổng, đú đa đú đởn. (He dropped out of school to lead a dissolute, aimless life.)

1. xem đú đởn