Definition

1. Adjective/Adverb:
   • Walking or moving slowly and with a labored, somewhat awkward gait, often with the legs slightly apart, suggesting physical difficulty or heaviness.
   • Behaving or moving in a slow, deliberate, and self-important manner, putting on airs or acting as if one is very important.

Usage Examples

• Adjective/Adverb:
  • Sau khi bị thương ở chân, ông ấy đi lại khệnh khạng. (After injuring his leg, he walks slowly and with difficulty.)
  • Cô ấy bước vào phòng một cách khệnh khạng, như thể mình là người quan trọng nhất. (She entered the room in a slow, self-important manner, as if she were the most important person.)

Advanced Usage

• The word is often used to describe a specific, observable style of movement that implies either physical constraint or an affected attitude. It is more expressive and vivid than simply saying "chậm" (slow).

Variants and Related Words

• Khệ nệ (adj/adv): describes moving slowly while carrying something heavy or while being weighed down, often implying clumsiness.
  • Anh ấy khệ nệ bê thùng nước vào nhà. (He clumsily carried the water crate into the house.)

Synonyms

• Lumbering: moving in a slow, heavy, awkward way.
• Strutting: walking in a proud, swaggering way, often to impress others (closer to the "self-important" sense).
• Plodding: walking with heavy, laborious steps.

Related Idioms

• Làm ra vẻ quan trọng: to put on airs, to act important. This phrase captures the attitude often associated with "khệnh khạng."
  • Anh ta cứ khệnh khạng, làm ra vẻ quan trọng. (He keeps moving slowly and deliberately, putting on airs.)

1. slowly
   • đi khệnh khạng
     to walk slowly