Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Unsteady, unstable, wobbly: Describes an object that is not firmly balanced, likely to rock, tilt, or tip over easily because its supports are uneven or its placement is insecure.
   • Cranky, rickety: Describes something, often a piece of furniture or structure, that is poorly made, shaky, or not functioning smoothly.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Cái giường này kê chật chưỡng. (This bed is placed unsteadily.)
  • Chiếc bàn chật chưỡng, đặt cốc nước lên là đổ. (The table is wobbly; if you put a glass on it, it will tip over.)
  • Cánh cửa cũ chật chưỡng, mở ra rất khó. (The old door is cranky and very hard to open.)

Advanced Usage

• The word "chật chưỡng" can be part of a reduplicated phrase for emphasis, such as "chật chà chật chưỡng", which intensifies the meaning of being extremely unstable or rickety.

Variants and Related Words

• Trật trưỡng (adj): A variant form with the same meaning as "chật chưỡng," denoting unsteadiness or instability.

Synonyms

• Unstable: Not firm or steady.
• Wobbly: Tending to move unsteadily from side to side.
• Rickety: Poorly made and likely to break or collapse.
• Precarious: Not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall.

Related Idioms

• While "chật chưỡng" itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, its meaning contributes to descriptive phrases about instability, such as describing a situation metaphorically as being as shaky as a "chật chưỡng" table.

adj

1. Unsteady, unstable, cranky
   • giừơng kê chật chưỡng
     the bed is cranky
   • như chất chưởng