Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Rancid / spoiled: "ôi thiu" describes food, especially food containing oil or fat, that has gone bad due to oxidation or bacterial action, developing an unpleasant smell and taste.
   • Stale / off: Can also refer to any food item that has become inedible due to age or improper storage.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Món ăn này đã ôi thiu, không thể ăn được. (This dish has gone rancid; it cannot be eaten.)
  • Dầu ăn để lâu ngày sẽ bị ôi thiu. (Cooking oil left for a long time will become rancid.)

Advanced Usage

• Figurative usage: "ôi thiu" can be used metaphorically to describe something (e.g., a plan, idea, or relationship) that has become stale, outdated, or no longer viable.
  • Ý tưởng đó đã ôi thiu từ lâu, không còn phù hợp. (That idea has been stale for a long time; it is no longer relevant.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ôi (adj): rancid, referring specifically to the oxidation of fats.
  • Mỡ này đã ôi. (This fat has gone rancid.)
• Thiu (adj): spoiled, often used for foods like rice or fruit that have fermented or soured.
  • Cơm thiu không ăn được. (Spoiled rice cannot be eaten.)

Synonyms

• Rancid: having a rank, unpleasant smell or taste, typically from oils or fats.
• Spoiled: (of food) no longer fit for eating due to decay.
• Stale: no longer fresh, often due to age or lack of use.
• Off: not fresh, having a bad quality (e.g., "the milk is off").

Related Idioms

• Mùi ôi thiu: the smell of rancidity, often used to describe a pervasive unpleasant odor.
  • Căn phòng có mùi ôi thiu của đồ ăn thừa. (The room had the rancid smell of leftover food.)
• Đồ ôi thiu: spoiled goods, often used in a dismissive or derogatory sense.
  • Đừng mua đồ ôi thiu ở chợ đó. (Don't buy spoiled goods from that market.)