Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Slightly unwell, under the weather: "khật khừ" describes a state of mild, non-serious illness or discomfort, often implying a feeling of being off-color or not at one's best.
   • In shaky or poor health: It can refer to a general condition of fragile or unstable health that fluctuates between being okay and not okay.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Dạo này ông ấy trông có vẻ khật khừ. (Lately, he looks slightly unwell.)
  • Tôi cảm thấy khật khừ mấy hôm nay, có lẽ do thời tiết thay đổi. (I've been feeling under the weather for a few days, perhaps due to the changing weather.)

Advanced Usage

• The word "khật khừ" is considered informal and somewhat vulgar (vulg.) in tone. It is more common in spoken Vietnamese.
• It is often used in the reduplicated form "khật khà khật khừ" to express an attenuated or milder sense of the same meaning, emphasizing a lingering, fluctuating state of minor ill health.
  • Cụ già ấy lúc nào cũng khật khà khật khừ. (That old person is always in a bit of a shaky, under-the-weather state.)

Variants and Related Words

• khặc khừ: A variant with the same meaning as "khật khừ".
• khật khà khật khừ: The reduplicated form, which softens the expression.

Synonyms

• Bất ổn (về sức khỏe): Unstable (in health).
• Khó ở: Feeling poorly, unwell (less vulgar).
• Mệt mỏi: Tired, fatigued (focuses more on tiredness).

Notes on Meaning

• The core meaning revolves around a non-critical, often vague state of physical discomfort or subpar health. It does not describe a specific disease but rather a general feeling of being unwell.
• The word carries a colloquial and sometimes humorous or dismissive connotation, minimizing the severity of the condition.

1. như khặc khừ