Törékeny

Törékeny is a Hungarian adjective meaning fragile, delicate, or easily broken. It can describe physical objects that are susceptible to damage, such as porcelain or glass, as well as abstract states or situations that are fragile or easily destabilized. The word is also used metaphorically to indicate vulnerability, fragility of a system, or a sensitive emotional state.

The term is formed in Hungarian from a root related to breaking and a suffix that yields an adjective indicating susceptibility. The related noun törékenység denotes fragility or fragileness. The standard adjective forms include törékeny (base form), törékenyebb (comparative), and legtörékenyebb (superlative). It agrees with nouns in gender, number, and case as with other Hungarian adjectives.

Usage of törékeny is common before the noun it modifies, as in törékeny tárgy (fragile object) or törékeny üveg (fragile glass). It can also describe non-physical things, for example egy törékeny helyzet (a fragile situation) or törékeny egészség (fragile health), though the latter may be used more cautiously depending on context. After linking verbs, the predicate form is also possible: A helyzet törékeny.

See also a related form, törékenység, which refers to the quality or state of being fragile. Related or near-synonymous terms include kényes (delicate or sensitive in a narrower sense) and gyenge (weak in a broader sense).