xềnh xệch
Definition
- Adjective:
- Clumsy, sloppy, or untidy in appearance or arrangement: Describes something that is hanging loosely, sagging, or is in a state of disheveled disorder, often due to being too large, ill-fitting, or carelessly handled.
- Dragged or pulled roughly along the ground: Describes the action or resulting state of an object being hauled clumsily, causing it to be disordered or to make a dragging sound.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Cái váy quá rộng nên mặc vào trông xềnh xệch. (The dress is too big so it looks sloppy when worn.)
- Bọn trẻ kéo cái túi nặng xềnh xệch trên sàn. (The children dragged the heavy bag clumsily along the floor.)
- Căn phòng bày biện đồ đạc xềnh xệch. (The room was arranged in an untidy mess.)
Advanced Usage
- Often used to emphasize a visual or auditory impression of clumsiness and lack of neatness. It can describe both the static state of something and the manner of an action that creates such a state.
- "lôi xềnh xệch": to drag something heavily and clumsily.
- Nó lôi xềnh xệch cái vali xuống cầu thang. (He clumsily dragged the suitcase down the stairs.)
Variants and Related Words
- Xệch (adj): Often used similarly to mean sagging, off-center, or askew. "Xềnh xệch" is a reduplicative form that intensifies the meaning of "xệch."
Synonyms
- Sloppy: Marked by a lack of neatness or order.
- Untidy: Not neat or arranged.
- Clumsy: Awkward in movement or handling.
- Dragged: Pulled along with effort.
Related Idioms
- While not a fixed idiom, the phrase "xềnh xệch như ma lem" (sloppy like a mess) is a common comparative expression to emphasize extreme untidiness.