chềnh ềnh
Definition
- Adjective:
- Extremely full, overflowing: Describes a state where a container or space is filled to the point of being completely full and often spilling over.
- Swollen, bulging: Describes something that is distended or puffed up, often due to being filled with liquid or air.
Usage
- The word "chềnh ềnh" is a reduplicative adjective (từ láy) that vividly emphasizes a state of excessive fullness or swelling. It is typically used to describe physical objects, not abstract concepts.
- It often carries a slightly negative or critical connotation, suggesting something is overly full, bloated, or unpleasantly swollen.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Cái bụng nó no chềnh ềnh. (His stomach is extremely full / bulging from being full.)
- Sau cơn mưa, dòng sông chềnh ềnh nước. (After the rain, the river is swollen / overflowing with water.)
- Chiếc túi đựng chềnh ềnh những đồ. (The bag is stuffed / bulging with things.)
Advanced Usage / Nuances
- "Chềnh ềnh" vs. "Đầy": While "đầy" simply means "full," "chềnh ềnh" intensifies this meaning to imply a visually obvious, often excessive, and sometimes messy state of fullness.
- It can be used metaphorically in informal contexts to describe a person who appears puffed up or bloated, e.g., from overeating.
Variants and Related Words
- Chình ình (Adjective): A synonym with an identical meaning: extremely full, swollen, or bulging. As noted in the reference, "chềnh ềnh" is equivalent to "chình ình."
- Ềnh ệch (Adjective): Describes a clumsy, bulky, or awkwardly large and heavy appearance, often of a person or animal. It shares the connotation of excessive size but focuses more on awkwardness than just fullness.
Synonyms
- Căng phồng: Swollen, inflated.
- Ứ ứ: Full to the brim, on the verge of overflowing.
- No căng: Very full (specifically for stomachs).
Antonyms
- Xẹp lép: Completely flat, deflated.
- Rỗng không: Empty.
- Hóp lại: Sunken in, concave.