Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Unsteady / Wobbly: Describes an object that is not firmly balanced, causing it to rock or teeter, often due to having legs of uneven length or an unstable base.
   • Precarious / Insecure: Describes a situation, plan, or state that is shaky, unstable, or lacking a solid foundation.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Cái bàn này chống chếnh quá. (This table is very wobbly.)
  • Tình hình tài chính của công ty đang rất chống chếnh. (The company's financial situation is very precarious.)
  • Chiếc ghế đứng chống chếnh trên ba chân. (The stool stood unsteadily on three legs.)

Advanced Usage

• The word is often used metaphorically to describe abstract concepts like health, emotions, or plans that are in a fragile, uncertain state.
  • Sức khỏe của ông ấy vẫn còn chống chếnh sau ca phẫu thuật. (His health is still unstable after the surgery.)

Variants and Related Words

• Trống trếnh (adj): This is a variant form with the same meaning as "chống chếnh," describing something unsteady or wobbly.

Synonyms

• Unsteady: Not firmly fixed or balanced.
• Wobbly: Tending to move unsteadily from side to side.
• Precarious: Not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse.
• Shaky: Shaking or trembling; not solid or stable.

Related Idioms

• While "chống chếnh" itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, its meaning is central to describing instability. A related concept is:
  • Đứng ngồi không yên: To be unable to sit or stand still (due to anxiety or instability), which shares the conceptual theme of unsteadiness.

1. Xem trống trếnh