Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Weak; mediocre; of poor quality: Describes something or someone lacking in strength, ability, or value.
   • Stupid; dull; slow-witted: (Dialectal) Describes a person who is not intelligent or quick to understand.

2. Verb:

   • To take shelter; to duck in: To quickly move to a covered place for protection from rain, sun, or danger.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Đồ đụt thế này, dùng một lần là hỏng. (This is such poor-quality stuff; it breaks after one use.)
  • Nó hơi đụt, giải bài toán đơn giản cũng lâu. (He's a bit slow; it takes him a long time to solve a simple math problem.)

• Verb:

  • Mọi người đụt mưa dưới mái hiên. (Everyone ducked for shelter from the rain under the awning.)
  • Chúng tôi phải đụt nắng vào trong lều. (We had to take shelter from the sun inside the tent.)

Advanced Usage

• The adjectival use is often informal and can be perceived as derogatory, especially when describing a person's intelligence.
• The verbal use is common in spoken language, particularly in Southern Vietnam, to describe a quick, temporary action to avoid weather.

Variants and Related Words

• Trú đụt (v): A more formal phrase meaning to take temporary shelter.
  • Chúng tôi tìm chỗ trú đụt khi trời đổ mưa. (We looked for a place to take shelter when it started to rain.)

Synonyms

• Adjective: Inferior, substandard, dim-witted, obtuse.
• Verb: To take cover, to shelter.

Related Idioms

• Đụt mưa đụt nắng: To frequently seek shelter from rain and sun; often used figuratively to describe an unstable life or job with no fixed place.
  • Công việc bán hàng rong phải đụt mưa đụt nắng suốt. (Being a street vendor means constantly seeking shelter from rain and sun.)