nhếch nhác
Definition
- Adjective:
- Sloppy, untidy, or unkempt: Describes a state of being messy, disorderly, and dirty, often due to neglect. It can refer to a person's appearance, a place, or a state of affairs.
- Squalid or shabby: Implies a level of dirtiness and disrepair that suggests poverty or a lack of care.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Căn phòng trọ của anh ấy trông rất nhếch nhác. (His rented room looks very sloppy and dirty.)
- Sau trận bão, khu vườn trở nên nhếch nhác. (After the storm, the garden became untidy and messy.)
- Bộ quần áo nhếch nhác khiến cậu bé trông tội nghiệp. (The shabby clothes made the boy look pitiful.)
Advanced Usage
- The word "nhếch nhác" often carries a stronger negative connotation than just "messy." It suggests a combination of disorder, dirtiness, and a general lack of upkeep that is visually unpleasant or evokes pity.
Variants and Related Words
- Nhếch (adj): Often used in compounds, it can imply a slight, unattractive movement or state (e.g., : to curl one's lip in disdain). In "nhếch nhác", it intensifies the sense of unattractiveness and disorder.
Synonyms
- Untidy: Not neat or arranged in order.
- Sloppy: Messy and careless.
- Unkempt: Having an untidy or disheveled appearance.
- Shabby: In poor condition through long use or lack of care.
- Squalid: Extremely dirty and unpleasant, especially as a result of poverty or neglect.
Related Idioms
- While "nhếch nhác" itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, it is commonly used in descriptive phrases to criticize a state of neglect.
- Ăn mặc nhếch nhác: to be dressed in a sloppy, unkempt manner.
- Đồ đạc nhếch nhác: sloppy, scattered belongings.