Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Withered, shriveled, emaciated: Describes a state of being extremely thin, weak, and gaunt, often due to illness, exhaustion, or lack of nourishment. It implies a loss of vitality and a haggard appearance.
   • Faded, wilted: Can describe plants or flowers that have lost their freshness and vigor, appearing dry and lifeless.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Sau trận ốm nặng, anh ấy trông rất hanh hao. (After the serious illness, he looks very emaciated.)
  • Những bông hoa bị héo hanh hao dưới cái nắng mùa hè. (The flowers wilted and became faded under the summer sun.)
  • Khuôn mặt hanh hao vì thiếu ngủ. (A haggard face due to lack of sleep.)

Advanced Usage

• "hanh hao vì...": emaciated/faded because of... Used to specify the cause of the condition.
  • Cô ấy hanh hao vì lo lắng. (She is emaciated from worry.)

Variants and Related Words

• Héo hon (adj): Withered, languished. A near-synonym often used in poetic or literary contexts to describe a similar state of decline.
  • Cây cối héo hon trong mùa khô. (The vegetation languishes in the dry season.)
• Tiều tụy (adj): Haggard, worn-out, in a state of physical and mental decline. This word carries a stronger connotation of suffering and deterioration than "hanh hao".
  • Dáng người tiều tụy sau bao năm vất vả. (A haggard figure after years of hardship.)

Synonyms

• Gầy gò, ốm yếu (adj): Skinny, sickly. These words focus more on thinness and poor health.
• Héo úa (adj): Withered, faded. Used primarily for plants.

Related Phrases

• Mặt mày hanh hao: A haggard face. A common collocation.
  • Nhìn mặt mày hanh hao của anh, tôi biết anh đã làm việc quá sức. (Looking at his haggard face, I knew he had overworked.)

Related Idioms

• Hanh hao xác xơ: Extremely emaciated and wretched. This idiom intensifies the meaning, describing a state of being utterly worn out and pitiful.
  • Sau chuyến đi dài, họ trở về trong tình trạng hanh hao xác xơ. (After the long journey, they returned in an utterly emaciated and wretched state.)

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