lạch bà lạch bạch
Definition
Adjective:
- Walking or moving in a clumsy, waddling manner: Describes the awkward, unsteady gait of someone or something, often due to being overweight, carrying a heavy load, or having an ungainly physical structure.
- Moving with a heavy, swaying motion: Implies a slow, ponderous, and side-to-side movement, like that of a duck or a very large person.
Adverb:
- In a clumsy, waddling way: Used to describe the manner of an action, specifically walking or moving.
Usage Examples
Adjective:
- Sau khi ăn no, anh ấy đi lại lạch bà lạch bạch. (After eating a big meal, he walked in a waddling manner.)
- Con vịt béo tròn bước đi lạch bà lạch bạch. (The plump duck waddled along clumsily.)
Adverb:
- Ông ấy lạch bà lạch bạch bước xuống cầu thang. (He waddled clumsily down the stairs.)
Advanced Usage
- This is a reduplicative word (từ láy), specifically of the type "láy tư" (four-syllable reduplication). The pattern "lạch bà lạch bạch" is formed from the base "lạch bạch," with "bà" inserted for rhythmic and emphatic effect. It is primarily used in informal, descriptive contexts, often with a slightly humorous or vivid tone to paint a picture of ungainly movement.
Variants and Related Words
- Lạch bạch (adj/adv): The base form, meaning clumsy, waddling, or sloshing (e.g., of liquid in a container). It is more common than the four-syllable variant.
- Nước trong xô lạch bạch theo mỗi bước chân. (The water in the bucket sloshed with every step.)
Synonyms
- Lặc lè (adj/adv): Waddling, swaying from side to side while walking.
- Lạch đạch (adj/adv): Similar to "lạch bạch," describing a clumsy, waddling walk or a sloshing sound/motion.
- Lù đù (adj): Clumsy, slow-moving, dawdling.
Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)
Related Idioms