lâu lắc

Hai người bạn hẹn gặp nhau lâu lắc mới gặp lại.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • A very long time; an excessively long duration: Used to emphasize that a period of time is perceived as being extremely long, often with a connotation of impatience or exaggeration. It is a colloquial and emphatic variant of "lâu" (long time).

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Chờ dăm ba ngày thì lâu lắc gì. (Waiting just a few days is not such a terribly long time.)
  • Anh ấy đi công tác lâu lắc mới về. (He went on a business trip for what felt like ages before returning.)
  • Làm bài tập này mất lâu lắc lắm. (Doing this homework takes an awfully long time.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in rhetorical or negative questions to downplay the length of time, suggesting it is not actually as long as someone might think.
  • Có một tiếng thôi, lâu lắc gì đâu. (It's only an hour, it's not that terribly long.)

Variants and Related Words

• Lâu (adj): A long time. The base word from which "lâu lắc" is derived for added emphasis.
  • Tôi đã chờ rất lâu. (I waited for a very long time.)

Synonyms

• Rất lâu: Very long time.
• Lâu thật lâu: A truly long time.
• Lâu lắm: A very long time (similar common emphasis).

Notes on Usage

• "Lâu lắc" is an informal, expressive word primarily used in spoken Vietnamese. Its tone can range from playful exaggeration to slight annoyance regarding the passage of time. It is not typically used in formal writing.