bủn nhủn
Definition
- Adjective:
- Weak, limp, lacking strength or firmness: Describes a physical state of being soft, floppy, or unable to support weight, often due to exhaustion, fear, or illness. It conveys a sense of bonelessness or jelly-like consistency.
- Figuratively weak-willed or lacking resolve: Can describe a person's character as indecisive, easily swayed, or lacking in firmness of purpose.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Sau trận ốm, chân tay tôi cảm thấy bủn nhủn. (After the illness, my arms and legs felt weak and limp.)
- Nghe tin dữ, hai chân anh ta bủn nhủn không đứng vững. (Upon hearing the bad news, his legs went weak and wobbly and he couldn't stand steadily.)
- Tính cách bủn nhủn ấy khiến anh ta khó thành công. (That weak-willed personality makes it hard for him to succeed.)
Advanced Usage
- Often used to describe the physical sensation in limbs after intense physical exertion, a sudden shock, or high fever.
- Can be used metaphorically to describe structures or materials that are excessively soft or lack rigidity, though this is less common.
- Cây cột bê tông non này còn bủn nhủn, chưa chịu lực được. (This green concrete column is still soft/weak and cannot bear load yet.)
Variants and Related Words
- Bủn rủn (adj): A more common variant with the same meaning: weak, shaky, trembling (often from fear, cold, or weakness).
- Sợ quá, anh ấy đứng bủn rủn cả chân. (He was so scared he stood with trembling legs.)
Synonyms
- Mềm oặt / Mềm nhũn (adj): Soft and floppy.
- Yếu ớt (adj): Feeble, weak.
- Run rẩy (adj): Trembling, shaking (emphasizes the tremble more than the limpness).
Notes on Meaning
- The word bủn nhủn strongly emphasizes a loss of structural firmness or supportive strength, often with a connotation of temporary collapse or failure under pressure.
- It is distinct from words meaning simply "soft" (mềm), as it implies a negative, undesirable state of being too weak to function normally.