Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Thickly coated with, lumpy with (often with a negative connotation): Describes something covered with a thick, uneven, or excessive layer of a substance, implying criticism or distaste.
   • Big, large (Southern Vietnamese dialect): Describes something of considerable size, volume, or importance. This meaning is common in Southern Vietnamese speech.

Usage Examples

• Adjective (Thickly coated):
  • Mặt bự phấn. (A face thick with/caked with powder.)
  • Đôi má bự những thịt. (Cheeks lumpy with flesh.)
• Adjective (Big, large):
  • Trái xoài bự. (A big mango.)
  • Nhà giàu hạng bự. (A big money-bags / a very wealthy person.)

Advanced Usage

• "hạng bự": A high-ranking, powerful, or influential category/class.
  • Hạng người tai to mặt bự. (The set of big shots / VIPs.)
• Used to emphasize an extreme degree of size or status, often in colloquial Southern speech.

Variants and Related Words

• Bự con (adj, phrase): Very big, huge (often used for people or animals). This is a common compound in Southern Vietnamese.
  • Con chó đó bự con quá! (That dog is so huge!)
• Bự chảng (adj, phrase): Clumsily large, bulky, oversized.
  • Cái vali bự chảng. (A bulky suitcase.)

Synonyms

• To, lớn: Big, large (neutral synonyms for size).
• Dày cộm: Thick, lumpy (for the "coated" meaning).
• Cồng kềnh: Bulky, cumbersome.

Related Phrases/Idioms

• Tai to mặt bự: Literally "big ears, large face." An idiom describing powerful, influential people (big shots, VIPs).
  • Anh ta giờ thuộc hạng tai to mặt bự rồi. (He's now among the big shots.)
• Giàu bự: Very rich, filthy rich (Southern dialect).
  • Ông chủ mới giàu bự lắm. (The new boss is filthy rich.)

adj

1. Lumpy with, thick with (hàm ý chê)
   • mặt bự phấn
     a face thick with make-up, a face heavily made-up
   • đôi má bự những thịt
     cheeks lumpy with flesh
2. Big
   • trái xoài bự
     a big mango
   • nhà giàu hạng bự
     a big money-bags
   • hạng người tai to mặt bự
     the set of big shots