Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Plump, chubby: Used primarily to describe babies, young children, or young animals that are delightfully fat and round in a healthy, appealing way.
   • Sappy, succulent: Used to describe young plants, shoots, or buds that are full of sap, thick, and tender.

2. Adjective (extended usage):

   • Sturdy, robust: Can describe a limb, branch, or part of something that is thick, solid, and strong.

Usage Examples

• Adjective (describing a person/animal):

  • Khuôn mặt cháu bé bụ bẫm. (The baby's face is chubby.)
  • Em bé mới sinh trông rất bụ bẫm. (The newborn baby looks very plump.)

• Adjective (describing plants):

  • Những búp măng bụ bẫm. (The sappy bamboo shoots.)
  • Cây đâm ra những chồi non bụ bẫm. (The tree sprouted succulent young buds.)

Advanced Usage

• The word "bụ bẫm" carries a strongly positive and affectionate connotation. It implies health, vitality, and cuteness, especially when referring to infants. It is not used critically to describe overweight adults.

Variants and Related Words

• Bụ (adj): A shorter, more colloquial form with the same core meaning of chubby or plump, often used in northern Vietnamese dialects.
  • Bé bụ lắm! (The baby is so chubby!)

Synonyms

• Plump: Having a full, rounded shape.
• Chubby: Slightly fat in a pleasant way, especially used for children.
• Sappy: Full of sap; juicy and tender (for plants).
• Rotund: Round or plump (more formal).

Antonyms

• Gầy: thin, skinny.
• Ốm yếu: sickly, frail.
• Khô héo: withered, dried up (for plants).

Related Idioms and Expressions

• "Nuôi cho bụ bẫm": To raise/nourish (a child) to be plump and healthy.
  • Mẹ chăm sóc để con được bụ bẫm. (The mother takes care so her child becomes chubby and healthy.)

1. Plump, chubby, sappy
   • khuôn mặt cháu bé bụ bẫm
     the baby's face is chubby, the baby has got a chubby face
   • những búp măng bụ bẫm
     sappy bamboo shoots