lang lổ
Definition
- Adjective:
- Patchy, mottled, blotchy: Having many spots, stains, or patches of different colors or shades, creating an uneven, unsightly appearance. Often implies a lack of uniformity and can suggest something is worn, stained, or damaged.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Bức tường bị ẩm mốc, trông lang lổ những vết loang lộn. (The wall was moldy and looked blotchy with spreading stains.)
- Chiếc áo cũ đã phai màu và lang lổ. (The old shirt had faded and become patchy.)
- Khu vườn sau trận mưa đá trông thật lang lổ. (The garden looked quite mottled after the hailstorm.)
Advanced Usage
- Used figuratively to describe inconsistent quality or appearance:
- Kiến thức của anh ấy về chủ đề này còn lang lổ. (His knowledge on this topic is still patchy/uneven.)
Variants and Related Words
- Loang lổ (adj): A common variant with the same meaning, often used interchangeably.
- Mặt đường loang lổ vì dầu. (The road surface is stained with oil patches.)
- Lốm đốm (adj): Spotted, speckled. While similar, can sound more neutral or even natural (like an animal's coat), whereas often carries a negative connotation of being marred or stained.
- Lem nhem (adj): Smudged, smeared (often with dirt or ink).
Synonyms
- Lấm chấm: Dotted, speckled.
- Lờ mờ: Blurred, indistinct (can sometimes overlap in context of unclear patches).
- Không đồng đều: Uneven, non-uniform.
Related Phrases
- Lang lổ như tổ ong: As pockmarked/patchy as a beehive (an idiom emphasizing severe patchiness or damage).
- Mặt đường lang lổ như tổ ong. (The road is as pockmarked as a beehive.)
Notes on Usage
- The word lang lổ (and its variant loang lổ) is primarily used to describe visual surfaces. It almost always carries a negative connotation, describing something that is stained, worn, damaged, or aesthetically unpleasing due to its irregular patches of color or texture.
- It is not typically used for patterns that are intentionally designed (like polka dots). For those, words like (polka dots) or (pattern) are more appropriate.
