Definition

1. Adjective (tính từ):

   • Complicated, tangled, messy: Describes something that is unnecessarily complex, confusing, or difficult to understand or resolve.
   • Long-winded, drawn-out, protracted: Describes a situation, story, or process that drags on for too long without a clear end.

2. Verb (động từ):

   • To drag on, to be protracted: To last longer than necessary, often in a tedious or annoying way.
   • To be entangled, to be messy: To become complicated or confused.

Usage Examples

• As an adjective:

  • Chuyện này thật lằng nhằng. (This matter is so complicated/drawn-out.)
  • Giấy tờ lằng nhằng khiến tôi rất mệt mỏi. (The messy/complicated paperwork makes me very tired.)
  • Đừng có lý luận lằng nhằng nữa! (Stop with the long-winded/confusing arguments!)

• As a verb (often used with "cứ" or in a descriptive sense):

  • Công việc cứ lằng nhằng mãi không xong. (The work just keeps dragging on without being finished.)
  • Mấy sợi dây điện lằng nhằng với nhau. (The electrical wires are tangled up with each other.)

Advanced Usage

• "Chuyện lằng nhằng": A complicated, messy, or drawn-out affair.

  • Anh đừng nhắc đến chuyện lằng nhằng đó nữa. (Please don't bring up that messy/complicated affair again.)

• "Giải quyết cho hết lằng nhằng": To resolve all the complications.

  • Chúng ta cần một giải pháp để giải quyết cho hết lằng nhằng. (We need a solution to resolve all these complications.)

Variants and Related Words

• Lôi thôi lằng nhằng (idiomatic phrase): Emphasizes a state of being troublesome, protracted, and messy.
  • Việc này lôi thôi lằng nhằng quá, tốn nhiều thời gian. (This is such a troublesome and drawn-out matter; it wastes a lot of time.)

Synonyms

• Rắc rối (adj): Troublesome, complicated.
• Dài dòng (adj): Long-winded, verbose.
• Phức tạp (adj): Complex, complicated.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Lằng nhằng như tơ vò: As tangled as a spider's web (used to describe an extremely complicated and confusing situation).
  • Vụ kiện này lằng nhằng như tơ vò. (This lawsuit is as tangled as a spider's web.)

verb

1. to drag on