Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Weakly and whimpering: Used to describe a child who is speaking or crying in a feeble, whining, or fretful manner, often due to tiredness, minor discomfort, or a desire for attention.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Đứa bé buồn ngủ nên khóc nhéo nhẹo. (The child was sleepy so he cried weakly and whimpered.)
  • Con đừng nói nhéo nhẹo nữa, hãy nói rõ cho mẹ nghe. (Stop speaking in that whining tone, tell me clearly.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is almost exclusively used to describe the vocal quality (crying, speaking, complaining) of young children. Applying it to an adult is very rare and would be highly pejorative, implying childish, pathetic behavior.

Variants and Related Words

• Nhèo nhẹo: A common variant spelling and pronunciation with the same meaning.
• Nhẽo nhẹo: Another less common variant with identical usage.

Synonyms

• Whimpering: Making a series of low, feeble sounds expressive of fear, pain, or discontent.
• Fretful: Being upset or irritable, often manifested in a whining cry.
• Whiny: Complaining in a feeble or petulant way.

Related Idioms

• While not a standalone idiom, the reduplicative form "nhéo nhẹo" itself functions as an onomatopoeic and descriptive phrase capturing the specific sound and manner of a child's weak complaint.

1. weakly and whimpering (nói về trẻ em)