Definition

Noun: 1. A sticky, dirty residue or deposit: A layer of grime, filth, or leftover matter that adheres to a surface, often as a result of accumulation over time. 2. (Dentistry) Tartar, dental calculus: A hard, yellowish deposit on the teeth, formed by plaque that has mineralized. 3. (Physiology) Smegma: A sebaceous secretion that can accumulate under the foreskin or around the clitoral hood.

Usage Examples

• General residue:
  • Cái nồi này có một lớp bựa dày. (This pot has a thick layer of grime.)
  • Anh ta tắm xong, nước trong bồn đầy bựa. (After he bathed, the tub water was full of scum/filth.)
• Dental tartar:
  • Bạn nên đi lấy bựa răng định kỳ. (You should get your dental tartar removed regularly.)
• Physiological secretion:
  • Vệ sinh không sạch sẽ có thể dẫn đến tích tụ bựa. (Poor hygiene can lead to the accumulation of smegma.)

Advanced Usage

• "bựa miệng": Can refer to a bad taste or foul residue in the mouth upon waking, or figuratively to mean foul/offensive language.
  • Sáng ngủ dậy, miệng đầy bựa. (Waking up in the morning, my mouth is full of a foul taste/filmy residue.)
• "lưỡi bựa": Refers to a coated tongue, often white or yellowish, which can be a sign of illness or poor digestion in traditional medicine.
  • Bác sĩ bảo lưỡi bựa là do nóng trong người. (The doctor said a coated tongue is due to internal heat.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bẩn (adj): Dirty, unclean. While "bẩn" is a general state, "bựa" specifically refers to the adherent layer of dirt.
• Cặn (n): Sediment, dregs, residue. "Cặn" often refers to settled particles (e.g., in coffee, a kettle), while "bựa" implies a stickier, more adherent layer.
• Cao răng (n): The formal/medical term for dental tartar (literally "tooth tartar").

Synonyms

• Cáu bẩn: Grime, caked-on dirt.
• Mảng bám: Plaque, deposit (used in contexts like dental plaque - "mảng bám răng").
• Cặn bã: Dregs, residue (more general).

Related Phrases / Idioms

• Ăn nói bựa miệng: To speak in a foul, vulgar, or offensive manner. (Literally: to speak with a "filthy mouth").
  • Đừng có ăn nói bựa miệng như thế! (Don't use such foul language!)
• Để đời bựa: (Modern, slang) To do or create something considered extremely tacky, cringe-worthy, or of bizarrely low quality that becomes (in)famously memorable. This is a derived, informal slang usage.
  • Bộ phim ấy diễn xuất dở tệ, đúng là để đời bựa. (That movie had terrible acting, it's truly an infamous cringe-fest.)

noun

1. Tartar (ở răng), smegma (ở âm hộ)