Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Smudged, smeared, messy: Describes something that is dirty, stained, or blurred, often due to ink, paint, or dirt spreading unintentionally, making it unclear or untidy.
   • Sloppy, illegible: Refers to writing or drawing that is careless, scribbled, or poorly executed, resulting in a messy appearance.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Trang vở của em bé bị lem nhem mực. (The child's notebook page is smudged with ink.)
  • Chữ viết tay của anh ấy rất lem nhem, khó đọc. (His handwriting is very sloppy and hard to read.)
  • Bức tường bị lem nhem sơn. (The wall is smeared with paint.)

Advanced Usage

• Used figuratively to describe unclear or muddled situations or speech:
  • Câu chuyện của cô ấy nghe rất lem nhem, không có đầu đuôi rõ ràng. (Her story sounds very muddled and lacks a clear sequence.)
  • Kế hoạch vẫn còn lem nhem, cần làm rõ hơn. (The plan is still vague/unclear and needs to be clarified.)

Variants and Related Words

• Lem (verb): To smudge, to smear.
  • Cẩn thận kẻo lem mực. (Be careful not to smudge the ink.)
• Nhếch nhác (adj): Sloppy, untidy (often regarding general appearance or cleanliness, not specifically smudging).
• Bẩn thỉu (adj): Filthy, dirty (stronger connotation of dirtiness).

Synonyms

• Bôi bác (adj): Messy, sloppy (often used for writing or work).
• Nguệch ngoạc (adj): Scribbled, scrawled (specifically for handwriting or drawing).
• Lấm lem (adj): Smudged, dirtied (often with mud or dirt).

Related Phrases (if applicable)

• Viết lem nhem: To write messily/illegibly.
  • Đừng viết lem nhem như thế. (Don't write so messily.)
• Vẽ lem nhem: To draw/paint messily.
  • Đứa trẻ vẽ lem nhem lên giấy. (The child scribbled messily on the paper.)

Related Idioms

• Đầu tóc lem nhem: (Literally: lem nhem hair) Describes disheveled, untidy hair.
  • Cô ấy thức dậy với đầu tóc lem nhem. (She woke up with disheveled hair.)
• Chuyện kể lem nhem: A confusing, incoherently told story.
  • Đừng nghe chuyện kể lem nhem của hắn. (Don't listen to his muddled story.)