chua loét
Definition
- Adjective:
- Extremely sour or tart: Describes a taste that is intensely and unpleasantly acidic, often causing a sharp, puckering sensation in the mouth.
- Figuratively, caustic or biting: Used to describe speech, criticism, or a personality that is harsh, sharp, and hurtful.
Usage Examples
Adjective (taste):
- Quả xoài này chua loét, không thể ăn được. (This mango is extremely sour, it's inedible.)
- Món dưa muối có vị chua loét. (The pickled vegetables have a sharply sour taste.)
Adjective (figurative):
- Lời nhận xét của cô ấy thật chua loét. (Her comment was caustically biting.)
- Anh ta có tính cách chua loét. (He has a caustic personality.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used for emphasis, intensifying the basic quality of "chua" (sour). It conveys a degree of unpleasantness or excess.
Variants and Related Words
- Chua (adj): Sour, tart. The root word, less intense than "chua loét."
- Chua chát (adj): Bitterly sour; also used figuratively for bitter disappointment or resentment.
Synonyms
- Acrid: Bitterly pungent (can apply to taste or tone).
- Tart: Sharp or acidic in taste.
- Caustic: Capable of burning or corroding; figuratively, severely critical or sarcastic.
- Acerbic: Sharp and forthright, especially in speech.
Related Idioms
- Chua như giấm: As sour as vinegar. A common simile for extreme sourness.
- Quả cóc này chua như giấm. (This ambarella fruit is as sour as vinegar.)
- Miệng lưỡi chua loét: To have a caustic tongue.
- Bà ấy nổi tiếng với miệng lưỡi chua loét. (She is famous for her caustic tongue.)