lệ khệ
Definition
- Adjective/Adverb:
- Clumsily and heavily; ponderously: Describes the manner of moving or carrying something with a slow, awkward, and heavy gait, often due to being burdened, overweight, or physically ungainly.
- Unwieldily: Conveys a sense of being cumbersome or difficult to maneuver.
Usage Examples
- Adjective/Adverb:
- Ông ấy lệ khệ bê thùng nước lên cầu thang. (He clumsily and heavily carried the water crate up the stairs.)
- Đứa bé mới tập đi, bước đi còn lệ khệ. (The toddler is just learning to walk, so his steps are still awkward and heavy.)
- Bà cụ lệ khệ với gánh hàng ra chợ. (The old woman went to the market ponderously with her carrying pole of goods.)
Advanced Usage
- The word is often used in a descriptive, onomatopoeic manner to paint a vivid picture of slow, labored movement. It can imply a slight, often sympathetic, humor or endearment towards the subject's awkwardness.
Variants and Related Words
- Lặc lè (adj/adv): Another reduplicative word with a very similar meaning, describing a swaying, heavy, or dragging movement.
Synonyms
- Clumsily: In an awkward and ungraceful way.
- Heavily: With great weight or effort.
- Ponderously: In a slow, clumsy manner due to great weight.
- Unwieldily: In a manner that is difficult to carry or move because of size, shape, or weight.
Related Idioms
- While "lệ khệ" itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, its descriptive nature is central to phrases depicting difficult movement:
- Đi đứng lệ khệ: To walk in a heavy, clumsy manner.
- Sau trận ốm, ông ấy đi đứng vẫn còn lệ khệ. (After his illness, he still walks in a heavy, clumsy manner.)