Definition

Adverb/Adjective: - Toddling, unsteadily (in walking): Describes the manner of walking of a young child who is just learning to walk, characterized by unsteady, wobbly, and short steps. It emphasizes the lack of stability and balance.

Usage Examples

• Adverb:

  • Em bé mới tập đi nên bước còn lững chững. (The baby has just started walking, so his/her steps are still toddling/unsteady.)
  • Đứa trẻ lững chững bước về phía mẹ. (The child toddled/unsteadily walked toward his/her mother.)

• Adjective:

  • Những bước đi lững chững đầu đời của con luôn khiến bố mẹ xúc động. (A child's first toddling/unsteady steps always move the parents.)
  • Dáng đi lững chững của chú chim non mới ra tổ. (The wobbly/unsteady walk of a fledgling bird just leaving the nest.)

Advanced Usage

• "lững chững chạy": to toddle-run; to run unsteadily.

  • Thấy mẹ về, bé lững chững chạy ra cửa. (Seeing mom return, the baby toddle-ran/unsteadily ran to the door.)

• Used metaphorically to describe the initial, unstable stages of a new endeavor or entity.

  • Công ty khởi nghiệp mới thành lập vẫn đang lững chững tìm chỗ đứng trên thị trường. (The newly established startup is still toddling/unsteadily finding its footing in the market.)

Variants and Related Words

• Chập chững (Adverb/Adjective): A near-synonym, also meaning to toddle or walk unsteadily, often used interchangeably with "lững chững."

  • Em bé đang chập chững những bước đi đầu tiên. (The baby is toddling his/her first steps.)

• Lảo đảo (Adverb/Adjective): To stagger, totter; describes a more pronounced unsteadiness, often due to weakness, dizziness, or intoxication, not specifically for toddlers learning to walk.

  • Người đàn ông say rượu đi lảo đảo trên đường. (The drunk man staggered down the street.)

Synonyms

• Chập chững: To toddle, to take unsteady steps (specifically for young children).
• Khập khiễng: To limp, to hobble (implies an uneven gait, often due to injury, not specifically for toddlers).

Related Idioms/Phrases

• Đi chưa vững: Literally "to walk not yet firmly." This is a descriptive phrase rather than an idiom and is the core meaning of "lững chững."
  • Đứa bé mới một tuổi, đi chưa vững. (The child is only one year old and cannot walk steadily yet.)

1. Toddle
   • Em bé một năm đi còn lững chững
     The one-year old baby is still toddling