Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Very old and bent, decrepit: Describes a person (usually used in a negative or disrespectful way) who is extremely old and whose body is bent or stooped, often implying frailty and being past one's prime.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Ông ấy già khọm rồi, đi lại rất khó khăn. (He is very old and decrepit now, moving around is very difficult.)
  • Đừng có cái giọng dạy đời của bà già khọm! (Don't use that lecturing tone of a crone!)

Advanced Usage

• The word "khọm" is inherently informal and carries a strong negative connotation. It is often used disrespectfully to criticize someone for being old, weak, or out-of-touch. It is not a polite term.
• It is almost exclusively used in the fixed phrase "già khọm" (old and decrepit). Using it alone is very rare.
• The term originates from imagery related to being bent or hunched over.

Variants and Related Words

• Khòm (adj, variant spelling): A common alternate spelling with the same meaning.
• Còng (adj): Bent, hunched. While "còng" describes the physical state, "khọm" adds the strong negative judgment of being excessively old.

Synonyms

• Lão (adj/n, informal): Old (person). Can be neutral or slightly disrespectful depending on context, but less harsh than "khọm".
• Còng lưng (adj): Hunched-backed. Focuses on the physical posture.
• Decrepit (adj, English equivalent): Worn out or broken down by age or use.

Related Idioms

• Già khọm (idiom): The standard and most common phrase. It is an idiom meaning "extremely old and feeble."
  • Tính nết chẳng thay đổi dù đã già khọm. (His temperament hasn't changed even though he's old and decrepit.)