lam lũ
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Ragged; tattered; shabby: Describes clothing that is worn out, torn, and in poor condition.
- Hardworking in a state of poverty; toiling and struggling: Describes a person or life characterized by constant, arduous labor and hardship, often under poor and deprived conditions.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Những người nông dân ăn mặc lam lũ. (The farmers dressed in ragged clothes.)
- Bà ấy đã có một cuộc đời lam lũ để nuôi các con ăn học. (She had a life of toil and hardship to raise and educate her children.)
- Công việc lam lũ trên đồng ruộng. (The toilsome work in the rice fields.)
Advanced Usage
- The word "lam lũ" often carries a connotation of dignity within struggle, implying relentless effort and endurance despite a difficult, impoverished situation. It is not merely about being poor but actively laboring under that condition.
Variants and Related Words
- Lấm lem (adj): Smudged, dirty (often with mud or dirt), typically from manual work. While "lam lũ" implies hardship and raggedness, "lấm lem" specifically describes being soiled.
- Đứa trẻ chân tay lấm lem bùn đất. (The child's hands and feet were smudged with mud.)
Synonyms
- Shabby: Worn and torn from long use or neglect.
- Tattered: Torn into shreds; ragged.
- Toiling: Working extremely hard or incessantly.
- Hardscrabble: Involving hard work and struggle, especially for a meager living.
Related Idioms
- Chân lấm tay bùn: Literally "feet muddy, hands dirty." This idiom describes someone who works hard with their hands, often in agriculture, and is closely related to the imagery evoked by "lam lũ".
- Ông ấy là một người nông dân chân lấm tay bùn. (He is a farmer with feet muddy and hands dirty.)