choắt cheo
Definition
- Adjective:
- Withered, shriveled, or very thin and small: Describes a person or thing that appears dried up, shrunken, or extremely skinny and undersized, often implying a lack of vitality or robustness.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Ông cụ ấy trông thật choắt cheo. (That old man looks very withered/shriveled.)
- Cây cối trong vùng hạn hán mọc lên choắt cheo. (The plants in the drought region grew up stunted and shriveled.)
- Đứa trẻ suy dinh dưỡng có thân hình choắt cheo. (The malnourished child has a very thin and small body.)
Advanced Usage
- "choắt cheo" vs. "choắt": While "choắt cheo" is an intensified or more descriptive form, its core meaning is similar to "choắt," emphasizing a state of being shrunken, puny, or meager. It often carries a slightly more vivid or expressive nuance.
- Cánh tay choắt cheo (a scrawny arm)
- Giọng nói choắt cheo (a thin, weak voice) – used figuratively.
Variants and Related Words
- Choắt (adj): Small, puny, shriveled. The root word.
- Khô queo (adj): Dried up, withered. Shares the concept of dryness and lack of fullness.
- Còi cọc (adj): Stunted, underdeveloped (often used for growth).
Synonyms
- Khô héo: Withered, dried up.
- Còm nhom: Skinny, gaunt (emphasizing bony thinness).
- Nhỏ bé: Small, tiny (more neutral, less descriptive of state).
Notes on Meaning
- The term "choắt cheo" is primarily descriptive and often used with a tone of pity or to denote something below the expected norm in size or vitality. It is not typically used as a compliment.
- The reference from the Vietnamese-French dictionary ("une personne ratatinée" – a shriveled person) accurately captures the sense of a person who appears shrunken or wizened.