Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Emaciated; gaunt; worn thin: Describes a person or living being that has become noticeably and often unhealthily thin, to the point of appearing haggard or skeletal.
   • Exhausted; worn out: Describes a state of extreme physical fatigue where the body or a body part feels drained of strength.
   • Withered; sparse: Describes plants or vegetation that have become thin, scanty, or have lost their vitality and lushness.

2. Verb (used with "đi" or in a descriptive sense):

   • To become emaciated: To grow thin and gaunt.
   • To become exhausted: To become extremely tired.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Lo nghĩ quá, anh ấy trông rất rạc. (Worried too much, he looks very gaunt.)
  • Sau chuyến đi bộ đường dài, tôi cảm thấy rạc cả người. (After the long trek, I felt completely worn out.)
  • Sau đợt rét, cánh đồng rau trông thật rạc. (After the cold spell, the vegetable field looks utterly withered.)

• Verb:

  • Cô ấy rạc đi nhiều vì bệnh. (She has become very emaciated due to illness.)
  • Quay cối nặng, rạc cả tay. (Turning the heavy millstone makes one's arms exhausted.)

Advanced Usage

• The word "rạc" is often used in a figurative sense to describe something being depleted or worn down to a minimal state.
  • Tiếng nói rạc đi vì la hét. (The voice became hoarse and spent from shouting.)

Variants and Related Words

• Gầy rạc (adj): Extremely skinny and gaunt.

  • Đứa trẻ bị suy dinh dưỡng, người gầy rạc. (The malnourished child is terribly gaunt.)

• Rạc rời (adj): Completely exhausted and on the verge of falling apart; utterly worn out.

  • Làm việc 12 tiếng, tôi cảm thấy rạc rời. (After working for 12 hours, I feel utterly spent.)

Synonyms

• Emaciated: Abnormally thin or weak.
• Haggard: Looking exhausted and unwell.
• Withered: (For plants) dry and shriveled.
• Drained: Depleted of energy.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Rạc cẳng: To have tired/aching legs from too much walking or standing.

  • Đi bộ cả ngày, rạc cẳng ra. (Walking all day makes one's legs give out.)

• Nói rạc cổ: To talk until one's throat is hoarse and tired.

  • Giải thích mãi mà nó không hiểu, tôi nói rạc cả cổ. (I explained repeatedly but he didn't understand; I talked until my throat was raw.)

verb

1. be worn thin
   • lo nghĩ quá rạc người
     to be worn thin by worries