rạc cẳng
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun (used primarily in the predicate position, often functioning as a stative verb/adjective in Vietnamese grammar) * To be extremely tired from walking; to have one's legs worn out or exhausted from a long journey on foot. The term vividly describes the physical state where one's legs feel weak, heavy, or nearly unable to continue walking due to fatigue.
Usage
- The phrase "rạc cẳng" is a colloquial, expressive term. It is typically used to emphasize the exhaustion resulting specifically from walking long distances.
- It often appears in the structure: "đi rạc cẳng" (to walk until one's legs are exhausted).
- It describes a state or result, not an action. You use it to say you "rạc cẳng," not that you "rạc cẳng."
Usage Examples
- (After hiking, I felt my legs were worn out.)
- (Walking all day in the old quarter, the tourists were exhausted.)
- (The road back to the hometown is long; we walked until our legs gave out but still haven't arrived.)
Advanced Usage / Nuances
- The term carries a connotation of hardship or an unexpectedly long and tiring trek. It's often used in narratives about travel, pilgrimage, or difficult journeys.
- It can be used hyperbolically to express tiredness from walking, even if not over an extreme distance.
Variants and Related Words
- Mỏi chân / Mỏi cẳng: A more standard and common way to say "to have tired legs." "Rạc cẳng" is stronger and more vivid.
- Rã rời: (Adjective) - To be utterly exhausted, worn out (can refer to the whole body or spirit, not just legs).
- Kiệt sức: (Adjective/Verb) - To be exhausted, depleted of strength.
Synonyms
- Leg-weary
- Dead on one's feet (idiom)
- Walked to exhaustion
Related Idioms / Expressions
- Đi bộ thảm hại: (Phrase) - To have a miserable/wretched walk (often due to tiredness or bad conditions). This describes the experience, while "rạc cẳng" describes the resulting physical state.
- Chân tay rã rời: (Idiom) - Limbs feeling weak and heavy; completely worn out. This is a broader term that includes "rạc cẳng."