Definition

Adjective: - Bungled, done by halves, sloppy: Describes work that is done carelessly, incompletely, or in a messy, slapdash manner, without proper attention to detail or finish.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Công việc này làm lam nham quá, phải làm lại từ đầu. (This work is too bungled; we have to start over.)
  • Nó viết bài lam nham, chữ xấu và đầy lỗi chính tả. (He wrote the essay sloppily, with bad handwriting and full of spelling mistakes.)
  • Bức tường được sơn một cách lam nham. (The wall was painted in a slapdash manner.)

Advanced Usage

• "làm việc lam nham": to work in a sloppy/haphazard way.

  • Anh ta có thói quen làm việc lam nham. (He has a habit of working in a sloppy way.)

• "chữ viết lam nham": messy/scrawled handwriting.

  • Tôi không đọc được chữ viết lam nham của cậu ấy. (I can't read his scrawled handwriting.)

Variants and Related Words

• Làm lấy lệ (idiomatic verb phrase): To do something perfunctorily, just for the sake of doing it, similar in spirit to doing something "lam nham".
• Cẩu thả (adj): Negligent, careless. This is a stronger and more formal synonym, often implying a lack of responsibility.
• Qua loa (adj): Superficial, cursory. Focuses on the lack of thoroughness rather than the visible messiness.

Synonyms

• Bôi bác (adj): Messy, botched (often used interchangeably with "lam nham").
• Ẩu (adj, Southern Vietnamese): Sloppy, careless.
• Slapdash (adj, English): Characterized by a lack of care or thoroughness.

Related Idioms

• "Làm cho xong chuyện": To do something just to get it over with. This idiom describes the attitude that often leads to "lam nham" results.
  • Đừng làm cho xong chuyện, kẻo lại thành ra lam nham. (Don't just do it to get it over with, or it will turn out sloppy.)

Notes on Meaning

The word "lam nham" strongly implies a visible, tangible result of poor workmanship. It's not just about being incomplete ("dở dang") but about being messy, uneven ("không đều"), and visibly poorly executed ("bôi bác"). It often carries a tone of criticism or disappointment regarding the quality of the outcome.

adj

1. bungled, done by halves