lì lì
Definition
- Adjective:
- Stolidly; immovably; fixedly: Describes a manner of being stubbornly unresponsive, showing no change in expression, reaction, or position despite external stimuli. It implies a passive, obstinate, and often sullen immobility.
- Unwaveringly; persistently: Can describe continuing in a state or action with dull, unchanging persistence.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Nó ngồi lì lì một chỗ cả buổi. (He sat stolidly/immovably in one spot all afternoon.)
- Đứa bé mặt lì lì không chịu trả lời. (The child's face was stolidly blank, refusing to answer.)
- Chiếc xe tải chạy lì lì trên đường cao tốc. (The truck drove on unwaveringly along the highway.)
Advanced Usage
- The word "lì lì" is a reduplication of the adjective "lì", which means stubborn or obstinate. The reduplication intensifies the meaning, emphasizing a continuous, unchanging, and often irritating state of passive stubbornness or fixedness.
Variants and Related Words
- Lì (adj): Stubborn, obstinate, thick-skinned (e.g., - This child is very stubborn.)
- Cứng đầu (adj): Stubborn, hard-headed (a close synonym for but often with a more active connotation).
Synonyms
- Stolidly
- Immovably
- Fixedly
- Unwaveringly
- Persistently (in a dull, unchanging way)
Related Idioms
- Lì như trâu: As stubborn as a buffalo. This idiom uses the base word "lì" to describe extreme stubbornness.
- Nó không nghe ai, lì như trâu. (He doesn't listen to anyone, as stubborn as a buffalo.)