Definition

1. Intransitive Verb:
   • To lose its scent; to lose its fragrance: Refers to the process where a substance, typically a perfume, fragrance, or aromatic item, gradually loses its original smell or aromatic quality over time or due to exposure to elements like air, heat, or light.

Usage Examples

• Intransitive Verb:
  • Nước hoa này để lâu đã bay mùi rồi. (This perfume has been stored for a long time and has lost its scent.)
  • Hoa hồng cắm trong bình vài ngày là bay mùi thơm. (Roses placed in a vase lose their fragrance after a few days.)
  • Đừng để tinh dầu gần cửa sổ, nó sẽ bay mùi nhanh lắm. (Don't leave the essential oil near the window; it will lose its scent very quickly.)

Advanced Usage

• Used figuratively to describe the fading of a characteristic or quality: While the core meaning is literal, it can sometimes be used metaphorically.
  • Sự nhiệt tình của anh ấy dần bay mùi sau nhiều thất bại. (His enthusiasm gradually faded after many failures.) (Note: This is a less common, creative usage.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bay hơi (Intransitive Verb): To evaporate (refers to liquids turning into vapor).
• Phai mùi (Intransitive Verb): To fade in scent; a close synonym, often used interchangeably with "bay mùi".
• Hết mùi (Verb Phrase): To be out of scent; to have no smell left.

Synonyms

• Phai hương (Intransitive Verb, literary): To have its fragrance fade.
• Mất mùi thơm (Verb Phrase): To lose its fragrance.

Notes on Meaning

• The term specifically describes the passive process of a scent dissipating. It is not used for actively removing a smell (which would be "khử mùi" - to deodorize).
• It almost always refers to pleasant smells (perfumes, food aromas, flower scents). The loss of an unpleasant odor is typically described as "bay mùi hôi" or "hết mùi".

1. Lose perfume