Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Slightly bent, somewhat stooped: Describes a posture or shape that is not fully straight, having a gentle curve or bend, often referring to a person's back or an object.
   • Hunched, crouched: Can describe the act of bending the body forward and down.

Usage

• This word is a reduplicative form (từ láy) derived from the root "khòm." Reduplicative words in Vietnamese often soften the meaning, add a descriptive quality, or indicate a repeated/continuous state. "Khom khòm" typically describes a mild, continuous, or habitual state of being bent over, rather than a single, sharp action.
• It is primarily used to describe physical posture.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Ông cụ đi khom khòm vì đau lưng. (The old man walks slightly stooped because of back pain.)
  • Nó ngồi khom khòm trong góc phòng. (He sat hunched over in the corner of the room.)
  • Hàng cây đứng khom khòm trước gió. (The row of trees stood slightly bent in the wind.)

Advanced Usage

• Describing habitual posture: Often used to depict a characteristic way of standing or moving due to age, habit, or effort.
  • Bà ấy đã quen làm việc khom khòm trên đồng ruộng. (She is accustomed to working in a stooped position in the fields.)

Variants and Related Words

• Khòm (verb/adjective): To bend over, to stoop. This is the root word. "Khom khòm" is a softer, more descriptive version.
  • Ông ấy khòm lưng nhặt đồ. (He bent over to pick up the item.)
• Còng (adjective): Hunched, stooped (often implies a more severe or permanent curvature, like a hunched back).
  • Lưng còng vì tuổi già. (A back hunched due to old age.)

Synonyms

• Gù lưng: To have a hunched back.
• Cúi: To bend down (often for a short-term action).
• Cong: Bent, curved (can apply to objects more generally).

Notes

• As indicated in the reference context ("xem khòm"), "khom khòm" is directly related to and its meaning is best understood through the root word "khòm." The reduplication adds a sense of continuity or a less severe degree.

1. xem khòm (láy)