lẹt
Definition
- Adjective:
- Slightly burnt; having a faint smell or taste of burning: Describes something that is scorched or singed, often resulting in a subtle, unpleasant acrid odor or flavor. It implies a minor degree of burning, not complete charring.
- Faint; weak; barely perceptible: Can describe a smell, sound, or other sensation that is very slight or feeble.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Cơm có mùi lẹt. (The rice has a slightly burnt smell.)
- Ngửi thấy mùi lẹt của vải cháy. (To smell the faint burnt scent of fabric.)
- Âm thanh lẹt đẹt vọng lại từ xa. (A faint, sputtering sound echoed from afar.)
Advanced Usage
- The word is very often used in its reduplicated form "lẹt đẹt" to intensify the meaning, describing a persistent, sputtering, or feeble state, often related to sound or weak activity.
- Chiếc xe máy cũ chạy lẹt đẹt. (The old motorbike ran with a sputtering sound.)
- Ngọn lửa lẹt đẹt sắp tắt. (The flame is sputtering, about to go out.)
Variants and Related Words
- Lẹt đẹt (adj, adv): Sputtering; feebly; in a weak, intermittent manner. This is the most common form in usage.
- Công việc tiến triển lẹt đẹt. (The work is progressing feebly/slowly.)
Synonyms
- Singed: lightly burnt.
- Acrid: having a sharply bitter taste or smell, often from burning.
- Faint: barely perceptible.
- Sputtering: making a series of soft explosive sounds, often indicating weakness.
Notes on Usage
- "Lẹt" is a descriptive word primarily used for smells (especially of burning) and sounds. It is not commonly used alone in modern speech; the reduplicated form "lẹt đẹt" is far more frequent.
- When used alone, it typically requires a context that makes the burnt or faint quality clear, such as (burnt smell).