khật khừ
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- 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.
- như khặc khừ