Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Mediocre; ordinary; average: Describes something of only moderate or low quality, lacking in excellence or distinction.
   • Simple; plain; modest: Describes something that is unpretentious, basic, or frugal, often without adornment or luxury.

2. Adverb:

   • In a mediocre or so-so manner: Used to describe an action performed in an average, unimpressive, or just-adequate way.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Chất lượng sản phẩm này khá xoàng. (The quality of this product is quite mediocre.)
  • Anh ấy chỉ mặc bộ đồ xoàng đi dự tiệc. (He wore only a simple suit to the party.)
  • Bữa ăn xoàng nhưng ấm cúng. (It was a modest but cozy meal.)

• Adverb:

  • Bài kiểm tra của tôi làm chỉ xoàng thôi. (I only did so-so on my test.)
  • Đội bóng chơi xoàng trong hiệp một. (The team played in a mediocre manner in the first half.)

Advanced Usage

• "xoàng xoàng": (reduplicated form) So-so; just average; not good or bad. This form often softens the meaning, indicating something is passable but unremarkable.
  • Phim đó xem cũng xoàng xoàng. (That movie was just so-so.)

Variants and Related Words

• Tầm thường (adj): Ordinary, commonplace, sometimes with a more negative connotation of being trivial or inferior.
• Bình thường (adj): Normal, ordinary, typically neutral in tone.

Synonyms

• Mediocre: Of only moderate quality.
• Average: Around the middle in quality or standard.
• Plain: Simple or basic in nature.
• Modest: Unassuming in quality or amount.

Related Idioms

• Xoàng như con cá rô: (Literally: as mediocre as an anabas fish) An idiom emphasizing something is very ordinary or unimpressive.
  • Chiếc xe cũ của anh ta xoàng như con cá rô. (His old car is utterly unimpressive.)