ứ trệ
Definition
- Adjective:
- Stagnant / Congested: Describes a state where movement, flow, or progress is blocked, slowed down, or has come to a standstill. It often refers to physical substances (like fluids, traffic, goods) or abstract processes (like commerce, work, administration).
- Accumulated / Backed-up: Refers to things piling up due to a lack of movement or clearance, such as food in the digestive system or unsold inventory.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Giao thông đang rất ứ trệ. (The traffic is very congested.)
- Hệ tiêu hóa ứ trệ gây khó chịu. (A congested digestive system causes discomfort.)
- Tình hình sản xuất bị ứ trệ do thiếu nguyên liệu. (Production is stagnant due to a lack of materials.)
Advanced Usage
- Used in formal or technical contexts (economic reports, medical descriptions, administrative language) to describe a problematic state of inactivity.
- Often implies a negative condition that needs to be resolved to restore normal flow or function.
Variants and Related Words
- Ứ đọng (adj): to stagnate, to accumulate (often for liquids or abstract matters). It is very close in meaning but can sometimes imply a simpler physical accumulation.
- Nước mưa ứ đọng trong lốp xe. (Rainwater accumulated in the tire.)
Synonyms
- Stagnant: not flowing or moving, often foul from lack of movement.
- Congested: blocked, overcrowded, causing impaired movement.
- Backlogged: an accumulation of unprocessed items or work.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Ứ trệ lưu thông: circulation congestion/stagnation.
- Ứ trệ lưu thông hàng hóa tại cảng. (Goods circulation is congested at the port.)
- Tình trạng ứ trệ: a state of stagnation/standstill.
- Dự án rơi vào tình trạng ứ trệ. (The project fell into a state of stagnation.)