kỳ khu
Definition
- Adjective:
- Rugged, rough, or difficult to traverse: Describes terrain, especially mountain paths or roads, that are uneven, full of obstacles, and hard to walk or travel on.
- Arduous or troublesome: Can describe a task, process, or situation that is difficult, complicated, and requires considerable effort to navigate.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Đường lên bản rất kỳ khu. (The path up to the village is very rugged.)
- Công việc này kỳ khu quá, mất nhiều thời gian. (This task is too troublesome; it takes a lot of time.)
- Xe chạy chậm vì đường kỳ khu. (The car moved slowly because the road was rough.)
Advanced Usage
- While primarily an adjective, "kỳ khu" can be used metaphorically to describe non-physical challenges.
- Hành trình pháp lý kỳ khu khiến họ mệt mỏi. (The arduous legal journey exhausted them.)
Variants and Related Words
- Gập ghềnh (adj): bumpy, rugged. A close synonym often used for physical terrain.
- Khúc khuỷu (adj): winding, twisting. Often describes a path with many turns, sometimes overlapping with the difficulty implied by "kỳ khu".
- Gian truân (adj): arduous, full of hardship. A more literary term for difficult experiences.
Synonyms
- Rugged: having a rough, uneven surface.
- Arduous: involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring.
- Troublesome: causing difficulty or annoyance.
Related Idioms
- "Kỳ khu gian khó": An alliterative phrase emphasizing great difficulty and hardship.
- Họ vượt qua chặng đường kỳ khu gian khó. (They overcame a tremendously arduous journey.)