lềnh bềnh
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Floating or drifting on water: Describes objects that are buoyant and moving gently on the surface of water, often carried by currents or waves.
- Cumbersome or cumbrous: Describes something that is unwieldy, bulky, or awkward to handle due to its size, shape, or lack of organization.
Usage Examples
Adjective (Floating):
- Những chiếc lá lềnh bềnh trên mặt hồ. (Leaves floating/drifting on the lake's surface.)
- Chiếc thuyền nhỏ lềnh bềnh theo dòng nước. (The small boat drifted along with the current.)
Adjective (Cumbersome):
- Công việc lềnh bềnh mãi không xong. (The work is cumbersome and never gets finished.)
- Bộ đồ ấy trông thật lềnh bềnh. (That outfit looks very bulky and awkward.)
Advanced Usage
- The word often carries a connotation of slow, aimless, or ungraceful movement, whether literally on water or metaphorically for progress.
Variants and Related Words
- Lềnh phềnh (adj): A variant with a very similar meaning, often used interchangeably to describe something floating or being bulky and awkward.
Synonyms
- Floating, drifting, buoyant: For the meaning related to water.
- Cumbersome, unwieldy, bulky, awkward: For the meaning related to being awkward or unmanageable.
Related Idioms
- While not a fixed idiom, the phrase "lềnh bềnh như củi mục" (floating/drifting like rotten wood) is a common simile emphasizing passive, aimless drifting.