Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Forced, unnatural, strained: Describes an action, behavior, or expression that is not spontaneous, genuine, or comfortable. It appears artificial because it is done out of obligation, effort, or a lack of sincerity, rather than arising naturally from one's feelings or the situation.
   • Far-fetched, contrived: Describes an argument, explanation, or connection that is difficult to accept because it seems illogical, overly complex, or artificially constructed, lacking a natural or convincing basis.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Nụ cười của anh ấy trông rất khiên cưỡng. (His smile looked very forced.)
  • Tôi cảm thấy khiên cưỡng khi phải chấp nhận lời mời đó. (I felt awkward/strained having to accept that invitation.)
  • Lời giải thích của anh ta nghe có vẻ khiên cưỡng và không thuyết phục. (His explanation sounded far-fetched and unconvincing.)
  • Sự so sánh giữa hai sự việc đó thật khiên cưỡng. (The comparison between those two matters is contrived.)

Advanced Usage

• "một cách khiên cưỡng": in a forced/strained manner.
  • Cô ấy cố gắng tỏ ra vui vẻ một cách khiên cưỡng. (She tried to appear cheerful in a forced manner.)
• "tránh sự khiên cưỡng": to avoid awkwardness/forcedness.
  • Chúng tôi nên kết thúc cuộc trò chuyện này để tránh sự khiên cưỡng. (We should end this conversation to avoid the awkwardness.)

Variants and Related Words

• Khiên cưỡng is primarily used as an adjective. There is no direct nominal form like "sự khiên cưỡng" in standard usage, though it can be implied in phrases like "tránh sự khiên cưỡng" (to avoid the strained feeling).

Synonyms

• Gượng gạo: forced, awkward, unnatural (very close in meaning, often used interchangeably).
• Gượng ép: to force oneself, to do something reluctantly.
• Giả tạo: fake, artificial (stronger, implying dishonesty).
• Gò bó: constrained, restricted (more about limitation than unnaturalness).

Antonyms

• Tự nhiên: natural, spontaneous.
• Thoải mái: comfortable, at ease.
• Chân thành: sincere, genuine.

Related Idioms/Phrases

• Khiên cưỡng itself often functions within descriptive phrases rather than as part of a fixed idiom. Its meaning is central to describing unnatural or strained situations.

1. Foreced