Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Inferior / Poor: Describes a quality, ability, or standard that is below average or below a point of comparison. It indicates a lack of skill, strength, or excellence.
   • Less / Fewer: Used to indicate a smaller amount, degree, or number in comparison.
   • Weak / Dim: Describes something lacking in intensity, such as a weak memory or dim light.

2. Preposition:

   • To / Of (in telling time): Used to express time before the hour, equivalent to "to" or "of" in English (e.g., ten to three).
   • Minus / Less (in quantity): Indicates a quantity that is slightly less than a stated round number or unit.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Nó là một học sinh kém. (He is a poor student.)
  • Sức khỏe của ông ấy ngày càng kém. (His health is getting weaker.)
  • Lớp này có số học sinh kém hơn lớp kia. (This class has fewer students than that class.)

• Preposition:

  • Bây giờ là ba giờ kém mười. (It is now ten to three.)
  • Tôi mua một mét vải kém hai phân. (I bought one meter of fabric, minus two centimeters.)

Advanced Usage

• "kém cỏi": Incompetent, deficient. This compound emphasizes a notable lack of ability or quality.

  • Anh ta bị đánh giá là kém cỏi trong công việc. (He was assessed as being incompetent at work.)

• "kém may mắn": Unlucky. Used to describe a lack of good fortune.

  • Đội bóng đó đã có một mùa giải kém may mắn. (That football team had an unlucky season.)

Variants and Related Words

• Kém chất lượng (adj): Of poor/low quality.

  • Hàng kém chất lượng bị thu hồi. (The poor-quality goods were recalled.)

• Kém phát triển (adj): Underdeveloped.

  • Đây là một khu vực kinh tế kém phát triển. (This is an economically underdeveloped region.)

Synonyms

• Poor: Lacking in quality or ability.
• Inferior: Lower in rank, quality, or ability.
• Weak: Lacking physical strength or intensity.
• Less: A smaller amount of.

Related Idioms

• Kém cạnh: To be inferior or to compare unfavorably to someone/something.

  • Sản phẩm của họ kém cạnh so với đối thủ. (Their product is inferior compared to the competitor's.)

• Kém hơn một tuổi: Literally "younger by one year"; used to show deference by referring to oneself as slightly younger in social interactions.

  • Tôi kém hơn một tuổi, xin gọi là em. (I am slightly younger, please call me 'em'.)

adj

1. less
   • không kém
     nothing less than dim; weak
   • trí nhớ kém
     weak memory