Definition

1. Verb:
   • To weep and wail / to cry and lament: The word "khóc lóc" describes the act of crying intensely and persistently, often accompanied by moaning, sobbing, or verbal expressions of grief, sorrow, or distress. It implies a prolonged and audible display of sadness.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Cô ấy khóc lóc suốt ngày vì thương đứa con bé mới chết. (She wept and wailed the whole day for her young child who had just died.)
  • Đừng khóc lóc nữa, mọi chuyện rồi sẽ ổn thôi. (Stop crying and lamenting; everything will be fine.)
  • Nghe tin buồn, anh ta chỉ biết ngồi khóc lóc một mình. (Upon hearing the sad news, he could only sit and weep by himself.)

Advanced Usage

• "khóc lóc ăn vạ": to cry and wail as a manipulative tactic, often to get one's way or to avoid blame.
  • Đứa trẻ khóc lóc ăn vạ khi không được mua đồ chơi. (The child cried and wailed manipulatively when he wasn't bought a toy.)

Variants and Related Words

• Khóc (v): to cry, to weep. This is the base verb, while "khóc lóc" emphasizes a more prolonged and mournful manner.

  • Em bé khóc đòi mẹ. (The baby cried for its mother.)

• Nức nở (v): to sob, to weep with convulsive gasps.

  • Cô gái nức nở trong đám tang. (The girl sobbed at the funeral.)

• Than khóc (v): to lament, to bewail; combines crying with expressing grief verbally.

  • Dân làng than khóc cho những mất mát. (The villagers lamented their losses.)

Synonyms

• Bemoan: to express deep grief or distress over.
• Wail: to utter a prolonged, high-pitched cry of pain, grief, or anger.
• Lament: to mourn aloud; to express sorrow or regret.

Related Idioms

• Khóc lóc thảm thiết: to weep bitterly and piteously.

  • Bà cụ khóc lóc thảm thiết trước mộ con. (The old woman wept bitterly at her child's grave.)

• Khóc như mưa như gió: to cry uncontrollably and copiously (literally: to cry like rain and wind).

  • Nghe tin đó, cô ấy khóc như mưa như gió. (Upon hearing that news, she cried uncontrollably.)

1. Weep and moan for a long time
   • Khóc lóc suốt ngày vì thương đứa con bé mới chết
     To weep and moan the whole day for a young child who has just died