trật trệu
Definition
- Adjective:
- Ill-fitting; not matching properly: Describes objects or parts that do not align, fit together correctly, or are out of their proper place, often resulting in a loose or unstable connection.
- Wobbly; unsteady: Refers to something that is not firm or secure, often causing a shaky or unstable motion.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Bánh xe đi trật trệu. (The wheel is wobbly / doesn't fit right.)
- Cái ghế này chân bị trật trệu. (This chair has a wobbly leg.)
- Hai mảnh gỗ ghép lại trông hơi trật trệu. (The two pieces of wood joined together look slightly misaligned.)
Advanced Usage
- The word is often used to describe mechanical parts, joints, or assemblies that have become loose, misaligned, or have excessive play.
- Khớp nối bị trật trệu sau thời gian dài sử dụng. (The coupling became loose after prolonged use.)
Variants and Related Words
Trật (adj/v): Often means "dislocated" or "off track." It can be related but is more severe, implying something is completely out of place.
- Tay tôi bị trật khớp. (My arm is dislocated.)
Lỏng lẻo (adj): Loose, not tight. Shares the connotation of lacking firmness but is more general.
- Con ốc vít bị lỏng lẻo. (The screw is loose.)
Synonyms
- Ill-fitting: Not fitting together correctly.
- Misaligned: Not in correct alignment.
- Wobbly: Unsteady in movement.
- Loose: Not firmly or tightly fixed in place.
Related Idioms
- While "trật trệu" itself is not commonly part of a fixed idiom, it describes the state implied in phrases like:
- Chạy trật trệu: To run/operate unevenly or roughly (e.g., an engine).
- Động cơ nghe tiếng chạy trật trệu. (The engine sounds like it's running roughly.)