Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Cold and cheerless; bleak: Describes a physical sensation of coldness that is also emotionally empty, desolate, or lacking warmth and comfort. It often refers to an atmosphere, environment, or feeling that is unwelcoming.
   • Frigid; icy: Can describe an emotional state, such as a personality, gaze, or reception, that is distant, unfeeling, or hostile.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Căn phòng trống trải và lạnh lẽo. (The empty room was cold and cheerless.)
  • Cô ấy nhìn anh với ánh mắt lạnh lẽo. (She looked at him with an icy gaze.)
  • Mùa đông ở đây thật lạnh lẽo và ảm đạm. (Winter here is truly bleak and gloomy.)

Advanced Usage

• Used to describe abstract concepts like life, relationships, or memories that feel emotionally barren.
  • Những kỷ niệm về tuổi thơ giờ đây thật lạnh lẽo. (The memories of childhood now feel cold and distant.)

Variants and Related Words

• Lạnh (adj): Cold. This is the core word for temperature. "Lạnh lẽo" adds a layer of emotional desolation.
  • Trời thật lạnh. (The weather is very cold.)
• Lạnh lùng (adj): Cold, indifferent, unemotional (usually describing a person's demeanor).
  • Anh ta là một người lạnh lùng. (He is a cold person.)

Synonyms

• Bleak: lacking warmth and cheer.
• Desolate: bleakly empty or lonely.
• Frigid: very cold in temperature or emotionally unfeeling.
• Icy: very cold or unfriendly.

Related Idioms

• Lạnh lẽo như tiết đông: As cold as winter; used to emphasize extreme physical or emotional coldness.
  • Lòng người đôi khi lạnh lẽo như tiết đông. (A person's heart can sometimes be as cold as winter.)

adj

1. cold; cold and cheerless
   • sống một cuộc đời lạnh lẽo
     to bad a cold and cheerless life