hèn yếu
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Faint-hearted; lacking courage: Describes a person who is weak in spirit, easily frightened, and lacks the bravery or resolve to face difficulty or danger.
- Morally weak; pusillanimous: Characterized by a contemptible lack of courage or determination, often suggesting a failure to do what is right due to fear.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Hắn là một kẻ hèn yếu, không dám đứng lên bảo vệ lẽ phải. (He is a faint-hearted person, not daring to stand up for what is right.)
- Tinh thần hèn yếu sẽ không bao giờ dẫn đến thành công. (A pusillanimous spirit will never lead to success.)
- Đừng tỏ ra hèn yếu trước những đe dọa. (Don't appear faint-hearted in the face of threats.)
Advanced Usage
- This term is strongly pejorative and is used to criticize character, not just temporary fear. It implies a deep-seated weakness of will.
Variants and Related Words
Hèn nhát (adj): Cowardly. Often used interchangeably with hèn yếu, but can emphasize a more active avoidance of danger.
- Kẻ hèn nhát luôn tìm cách trốn tránh. (A coward always finds a way to hide.)
Yếu đuối (adj): Weak, feeble. Primarily describes physical or general weakness, not specifically moral or courageous failing.
- Sau cơn bệnh, cơ thể cô ấy rất yếu đuối. (After the illness, her body was very weak.)
Synonyms
- Cowardly: Lacking courage.
- Timid: Showing a lack of courage or confidence.
- Spineless: Lacking determination or strength of character.
Related Idioms
- Máu hèn yếu: Literally "faint-hearted blood," meaning an inherently cowardly nature.
- Hắn có máu hèn yếu, không phải là lãnh đạo. (He has a faint-hearted nature; he is not a leader.)
adj
- pusillanimous, faint-hearted