Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Excessively light / As light as a feather: Describes something that has an extremely low weight, often surprisingly or almost insignificantly so. It emphasizes a feeling of weightlessness.
   • Very easy / Not burdensome: Used figuratively to describe a task, responsibility, or feeling that requires very little effort or causes no mental burden.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Chiếc túi này nhẹ tênh. (This bag is as light as a feather.)
  • Công việc ấy nhẹ tênh, tôi làm xong trong nửa giờ. (That task is a breeze; I finished it in half an hour.)
  • Sau khi nói ra sự thật, lòng cô ấy cảm thấy nhẹ tênh. (After telling the truth, her heart felt incredibly light.)

Advanced Usage

• The word "tênh" is a rhyming particle that intensifies the adjective "nhẹ" (light). The combination "nhẹ tênh" is more expressive and vivid than using "nhẹ" alone.
• It can describe abstract concepts:
  • Gánh nặng tài chính giờ đã nhẹ tênh. (The financial burden is now feather-light.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nhẹ bẫng (adj): synonym for extremely light, weightless.
  • Chiếc chăn lông vũ nhẹ bẫng. (The down blanket is weightless.)
• Nhẹ hều (adj): another colloquial variant meaning very light.
• Nhẹ (adj): the core adjective meaning "light" (in weight) or "mild".

Synonyms

• Featherlight: having very little weight.
• Weightless: having no apparent weight.
• Insignificant (figurative, for burden): of little importance or consequence.
• Easy (figurative): achieved without great effort.

Related Idioms and Expressions

• Nhẹ như lông hồng: (Light as a swan's feather) – A direct simile with the same meaning as "nhẹ tênh".
  • Chiếc vali nhẹ như lông hồng. (The suitcase is light as a feather.)
• Nhẹ tay: (Light-handed) – To handle something gently or to not punish severely.
  • Cô giáo nhẹ tay với học sinh mới. (The teacher went easy on the new student.)

1. Excessively light