Definitions

1. Adjective:
   • Slightly bent, hunched, or curved: Describes an object or posture that is not straight but has a gentle bend or arch.
   • Crouched or stooped: Often used to describe a person's posture when bending forward, typically due to age, effort, or to fit under something low.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Mái thuyền lum khum. (The boat's roof is slightly curved.)
  • Ông cụ đi lum khum vì đau lưng. (The old man walks hunched over because of back pain.)
  • Nó ngồi lum khum trong góc nhà. (He sat crouched in the corner of the house.)

Advanced Usage

• This word is primarily used in spoken Vietnamese and is considered a dialectal variant (tiếng địa phương) of the more standard word "lom khom". Their meanings and usage are identical.
• It often carries a descriptive, somewhat visual quality, painting a picture of a bent shape or posture.

Variants and Related Words

• Lom khom (adj): The standard form with the same meaning: slightly bent, hunched.
  • Bà lão lom khom nhặt rau. (The old woman is hunched over picking vegetables.)

Synonyms

• Khom: To bend, to stoop.
• Cong: Bent, curved (can imply a more pronounced or intentional curve than "lum khum").
• Còng (as in "lưng còng"): Hunchbacked, more severely bent.

Notes on Meaning

• The core meaning revolves around a gentle, often natural or aged, bend. It is not used for sharp angles or deliberate, severe bending.
• It frequently describes the human back, posture while working, or the shape of architectural elements like roofs.

1. (tiếng địa phương) như lom khom