Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Extremely weary, completely exhausted: Describes a state of profound physical or mental fatigue, where one feels drained of all energy, often to the point where the body feels like it is falling apart.
   • Crumbling, falling apart: Describes something physical that is disintegrating, breaking into pieces, or collapsing due to weakness or decay.

Usage Examples

• Adjective (describing physical exhaustion):

  • Sau chuyến leo núi dài, toàn thân tôi cảm thấy rã rời. (After the long hike, my whole body felt completely exhausted.)
  • Làm việc liên tục 12 tiếng khiến anh ấy rã rời. (Working for 12 hours straight left him utterly weary.)

• Adjective (describing disintegration):

  • Bức tường cũ rã rời theo thời gian. (The old wall crumbled over time.)
  • Tổ chức đó đang rã rời từ bên trong. (That organization is falling apart from within.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase "chân tay rã rời" (limbs feeling exhausted) is a very common collocation to specifically describe the feeling of heavy fatigue in one's arms and legs.
  • Mang vác đồ nặng cả ngày khiến tôi chân tay rã rời. (Carrying heavy things all day made my limbs feel utterly weary.)

Variants and Related Words

• Rời rạc (adj): Scattered, disconnected, not unified. While "rã rời" implies falling apart from a former whole, "rời rạc" describes things that are already separate and lack cohesion.
  • Những thông tin này quá rời rạc. (This information is too scattered.)

Synonyms

• Exhausted: Drained of strength or energy.
• Weary: Feeling or showing extreme tiredness.
• Fatigued: Worn out, tired.
• Crumbling: Breaking or falling apart into small fragments.

Related Idioms

• Mệt rã rời / Mệt nhoài rã rời: An intensified expression meaning "completely and utterly exhausted."
  • Đội bóng bước ra sân với vẻ mặt mệt rã rời. (The team walked onto the field with a look of utter exhaustion.)

1. Crumble
2. Very wearied, exhausted
   • Đi bộ mấy chục cây số chân tay rã rời
     To feel very wearied in one's limbs after walking many scores of kilometres