Definition

1. Verb (archaic, rarely used):
   • To indulge in, to be passionately devoted to: "đam" describes the act of deeply immersing oneself in or being intensely absorbed by something, often to the point of excess or obsession.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Ông ấy đam cờ bạc, chẳng màng đến gia đình. (He indulges in gambling, paying no heed to his family.)
  • Cậu ta đam mê đọc sách đến quên cả ăn. (He is so passionately devoted to reading that he forgets to eat.)

Advanced Usage

• "đam mê": This is the most common modern compound, meaning "passion" (noun) or "to be passionate about" (verb). While "đam" alone is archaic, it forms the root of this very common word.
  • Cô ấy theo đuổi đam mê âm nhạc của mình. (She pursues her passion for music.)
• The standalone use of "đam" is almost exclusively found in classical or literary texts to convey a deep, often single-minded, absorption in an activity or subject.

Variants and Related Words

• Đam mê (n/v): Passion; to be passionate about. This is the standard contemporary term derived from "đam".
• Đắm (v): To sink, to immerse, to be engrossed. This is a more common modern verb with a similar semantic field of deep immersion (e.g., - to immerse oneself). It is sometimes confused or used interchangeably in compound forms in modern usage, but "đam mê" is the fixed spelling for "passion".

Synonyms

• Say mê (v): To be infatuated with, to be enamored of.
• Mê đắm (v): To be deeply engrossed or fascinated by (often with a romantic or sensual connotation).

Notes on Usage

• The word "đam" is considered archaic () and is rarely used in isolation in modern Vietnamese. Its primary function in contemporary language is as the first syllable in the compound word "đam mê".
• When encountered alone in classical poetry or literature, it carries the meaning of deep indulgence or devotion, often with a slightly negative or excessive connotation, similar to the English "to indulge in".

1. (cũ, í dùng) Indulge in