lềnh kềnh
Definition
- Adjective:
- Bulky, cumbersome, unwieldy: Describes objects that are large, take up a lot of space, and are difficult to handle, move, or store due to their size or awkward shape.
- Sprawling, spread out messily: Describes items that are scattered or arranged in a disorderly, space-consuming manner.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Chiếc tủ lạnh cũ này quá lềnh kềnh. (This old refrigerator is too bulky.)
- Đồ đạc lềnh kềnh trên sàn nhà. (Belongings are sprawled messily on the floor.)
- Việc chuyển nhà khó khăn vì nhiều đồ đạc lềnh kềnh. (Moving house is difficult because of many cumbersome items.)
Advanced Usage
- The word "lềnh kềnh" often carries a negative connotation, implying inconvenience, inefficiency, or a lack of neatness.
- It can be used metaphorically to describe abstract things that are overly complex or inefficient.
- Dự án có quá nhiều thủ tục lềnh kềnh. (The project has too many cumbersome procedures.)
Variants and Related Words
- Cồng kềnh (adj): A near-synonym meaning bulky, heavy, and awkward. The two words are often used interchangeably, though "cồng kềnh" may imply more heaviness.
- Chiếc vali cồng kềnh. (The bulky suitcase.)
Synonyms
- Bulky: Of large size and mass.
- Cumbersome: Difficult to handle because of size, weight, or complexity.
- Unwieldy: Hard to move or manage because of shape or size.
- Sprawling: Spread out over a large area in an untidy way.
Related Idioms
- While "lềnh kềnh" itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, it is commonly used in descriptive phrases to emphasize clutter or inconvenience.
- Lềnh kềnh như đồ bỏ. (Sprawled out like discarded junk.)