Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Lying or placed directly in the way, obstructively: Describes something that is positioned right in the middle of a path or space, creating an obvious and often inconvenient obstacle.
   • Prominently and immovably in sight: Refers to something that is conspicuously and stubbornly visible, impossible to ignore.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Một tảng đá chình ình giữa đường. (A rock lying right in the middle of the road.)
  • Chiếc bàn cũ chình ình ở giữa phòng khách. (The old table sat prominently in the middle of the living room.)
  • Vấn đề ấy cứ chình ình ra đó mà chưa ai giải quyết. (That problem is just sitting there conspicuously, and no one has solved it yet.)

Advanced Usage

• Used to emphasize an obstructive or prominent state: The word often carries a tone of annoyance or frustration regarding the obstructive object or situation.
  • Chiếc xe hỏng chình ình ở lối ra vào. (The broken-down car was blocking the entrance/exit.)
• Figurative use for abstract problems: Can describe a problem or issue that is blatantly obvious and unresolved.
  • Sự bất công ấy vẫn còn chình ình trong xã hội. (That injustice remains glaringly present in society.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ỳ ì: (Adjective) Describes a state of sluggishness, inactivity, or lack of progress, often due to laziness or obstruction. While related in conveying a sense of immobility, "ỳ ì" focuses more on the quality of movement (or lack thereof) rather than physical placement.
  • Công việc tiến triển ỳ ì. (The work is progressing sluggishly.)

Synonyms

• Lù lù: (Adjective) Prominently and often clumsily visible; sticking out obtrusively.
• Ngổn ngang: (Adjective) Lying around in disorder, scattered about. It describes a messy state rather than a single obstructive item.

Notes on Meaning

• Dialectal and Tonal Nuance: The word "chình ình" originates from dialectal use and is a reduplicative word (từ láy). Its meaning is heavily dependent on its expressive, onomatopoeic quality, conveying a sense of something being squarely and unavoidably in the way.
• Immovability: The core idea is not just visibility but a static, unmoving presence that impedes or demands attention. The reference "sans mouvement" (without movement) perfectly captures this essence.