quành quạch
Definition
- Adjective:
- Clumsy, awkward, or unskillful: Describes a person's physical movements that are lacking in grace, coordination, or dexterity, often resulting in a heavy or ungainly manner.
- Bulky or cumbersome: Can describe an object that is awkwardly large, heavy, or difficult to handle.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Cậu bé mới tập đi trông còn quành quạch. (The little boy who is just learning to walk still looks clumsy.)
- Anh ấy cầm dụng cụ một cách quành quạch. (He handles the tool in a clumsy manner.)
- Chiếc vali quành quạch này thật khó xoay sở trên cầu thang. (This bulky suitcase is very difficult to maneuver on the stairs.)
Advanced Usage
- The word is often used in a descriptive, slightly informal context to criticize or gently mock a lack of physical finesse. It emphasizes the visible awkwardness of the action or the object's form.
Variants and Related Words
- Vụng về (adj): Clumsy, awkward. A more common and general synonym.
- Lóng ngóng (adj): Awkward, clumsy (often due to inexperience or tall stature).
Synonyms
- Clumsy: Lacking skill or grace in movement.
- Awkward: Not smooth or graceful.
- Ungainly: Moving in a clumsy, awkward way.
- Cumbersome: Large, heavy, and difficult to carry or use.
Related Idioms
- While "quành quạch" itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, it is used in descriptive phrases that paint a picture of clumsiness, such as "" (to walk clumsily) or "" (to work in a clumsy, unskillful way).