lênh chênh
Definition
- Adjective:
- Unsteady; wobbly; precarious: Describing an object that is not firmly positioned, balanced, or stable, often seeming as if it might tip or fall over.
- Unstable; insecure: Describing a situation, condition, or state that lacks firmness, certainty, or solid foundation.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Cái bàn này đặt lênh chênh trên mặt đất gồ ghề. (This table is placed precariously on the uneven ground.)
- Chiếc thuyền nhỏ trôi lênh chênh trên sóng. (The small boat drifted unsteadily on the waves.)
- Cảm giác lênh chênh khi bắt đầu công việc mới. (A feeling of insecurity when starting a new job.)
Advanced Usage
- Used metaphorically to describe abstract states such as emotions, careers, or life situations that feel uncertain, insecure, or lacking a solid anchor.
- Cuộc sống của anh ấy sau khi mất việc thật lênh chênh. (His life after losing his job was truly precarious.)
Variants and Related Words
- Chênh vênh (adj): Also means precarious, unsteady, often used interchangeably with "lênh chênh" but can imply a greater sense of height or elevation in the instability.
- Ngôi nhà chênh vênh trên sườn núi. (The house perched precariously on the mountainside.)
Synonyms
- Unstable: Likely to change or fail; not firmly fixed.
- Precarious: Not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse.
- Wobbly: Tending to move unsteadily from side to side.
- Insecure: Not firm or fixed; liable to give way.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Cảm giác lênh chênh: A common phrase describing a pervasive feeling of instability or lack of footing, either physically or emotionally.
- Cô ấy có cảm giác lênh chênh khi sống ở nước ngoài. (She had a feeling of instability while living abroad.)