Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Sloppy; careless; done without care or attention to detail: Describes work, actions, or results that are executed hastily and with little regard for quality or neatness. It implies a lack of thoroughness and precision.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Bài tập của nó làm rất lạo thảo. (His/Her homework was done very sloppily.)
  • Đừng có lạo thảo, hãy làm cho cẩn thận. (Don't be careless, do it carefully.)
  • Công việc lạo thảo như thế này là không thể chấp nhận được. (Sloppy work like this is unacceptable.)

Advanced Usage

• The word is marked as rare in some historical dictionaries. In modern usage, it is a strong, critical term emphasizing negligent quality.

Variants and Related Words

• Làm lạo thảo (v phrase): to do something in a sloppy manner.
  • Nó làm lạo thảo rồi nộp bài. (He/She did it sloppily and then submitted the assignment.)

Synonyms

• Cẩu thả: careless, sloppy (more common synonym).
• Qua loa: perfunctory, done just to get it over with.
• Bất cẩn: inadvertent, due to a lack of caution.

Antonyms

• Cẩn thận: careful, meticulous.
• Chu đáo: thorough, conscientious.
• Tỉ mỉ: meticulous, painstaking.

Notes on Usage

• Tone and Register: "Lạo thảo" carries a distinctly negative and disapproving tone. It is used to criticize and is more common in spoken reprimands or critical assessments than in formal writing.
• Context: It is typically used to describe tangible outputs like written work, manual tasks, or preparation, rather than abstract concepts.