Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Flagging, flaccid, weak and shaky: Describes a state where one's limbs or entire body feel extremely weak, limp, and lacking strength, often to the point of being unable to move properly. This condition is typically caused by intense fear, extreme hunger, exhaustion, or illness.
   • On the verge of collapse/fainting: Conveys a sensation of physical debility so severe it feels like one might faint or collapse.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Hai chân bủn rủn không bước được. (His two legs were flagging, he could hardly walk.)
  • Sợ bủn rủn cả chân tay. (To have one's limbs go flaccid out of fear.)
  • Bủn rủn cả người vì đói. (To have one's whole body flagging from hunger.)
  • Sau trận ốm, tôi thấy người bủn rủn, không có sức. (After the illness, I felt my body was weak and shaky, with no strength.)

Advanced Usage

• "bủn rủn chân tay": A common collocation emphasizing the weakness specifically in the arms and legs.

  • Nghe tin dữ, bà ấy bủn rủn chân tay, phải ngồi phịch xuống ghế. (Upon hearing the bad news, her limbs went weak and shaky, and she had to plop down onto the chair.)

• "bủn rủn cả người": Emphasizes the feeling of total physical debility affecting the entire body.

  • Leo lên đến đỉnh núi, tôi bủn rủn cả người vì mệt. (Climbing to the mountain peak, my whole body felt weak and shaky from exhaustion.)

Variants and Related Words

• Rời rã (adj): Aching all over, feeling physically spent. While "rời rã" focuses on soreness and being worn out, "bủn rủn" emphasizes the loss of strength and stability.
• Bải hoải (adj): Weary, exhausted, often describing a tired, dragging walk. It shares the theme of fatigue with "bủn rủn" but is less about the sudden, shaky weakness.
• Mệt lả (adj): Extremely tired, exhausted to the point of collapse. This is a close synonym, often interchangeable with "bủn rủn" when caused by fatigue.

Synonyms

• Yếu ớt: Weak, feeble.
• Không còn sức lực: To have no strength left.
• Run rẩy: To tremble, to shake (often overlaps when caused by fear or cold).

Related Phrases (Collocations)

• Làm cho bủn rủn: To cause someone to feel weak and shaky.
  • Cơn sốt cao làm cho cơ thể anh ấy bủn rủn. (The high fever caused his body to feel weak and shaky.)
• Cảm giác bủn rủn: The feeling of being weak and shaky.
  • Cô ấy có cảm giác bủn rủn mỗi khi hạ đường huyết. (She gets the feeling of being weak and shaky whenever her blood sugar drops.)

Related Idioms

• (Sợ) đến bủn rủn chân tay: (To be scared) to the point of one's limbs going weak. This idiom intensifies the cause (fear) and the effect.
  • Nhìn cảnh tai nạn, tôi sợ đến bủn rủn chân tay. (Looking at the accident scene, I was scared to the point of my limbs going weak.)

adj

1. Flagging, flaccid
   • hai chân bủn rủn không bước được
     his two legs flagging, he could hardly walk
   • sợ bủn rủn cả chân tay
     to have one's limbs flaccid out of fear
   • bủn rủn cả người vì đói
     to have one's whole body flagging from hunger