cháo lòng
Definition
- Noun:
- A Vietnamese savory rice porridge: "cháo lòng" is a traditional Vietnamese dish consisting of a thin rice porridge (congee) served with various types of cooked pork offal (such as intestines, stomach, heart, and liver) and sometimes blood pudding. It is typically seasoned with herbs, lime, and pepper.
- (Slang, vulgar) A state of extreme fear: In colloquial and vulgar slang, "cháo lòng" can metaphorically describe a state of being so frightened that one loses control of their bowels.
Usage Examples
- Noun (Food):
- Sáng nay tôi ăn một bát cháo lòng nóng. (This morning I ate a bowl of hot pork offal congee.)
- Quán cháo lòng ở góc phố rất nổi tiếng. (The pork offal congee shop on the street corner is very famous.)
- Noun (Slang):
- Thằng đó bị dọa đến mức tè ra cháo lòng. (That guy was so scared he shit his pants. [Literal: ...he pissed out "cháo lòng"].)
Advanced Usage
- The term is primarily used as a noun for the food item. Its slang usage is highly informal and considered crude.
Variants and Related Words
- Cháo: (n) Congee, rice porridge. The base component of the dish.
- Lòng lợn: (n) Pork offal/intestines. The key ingredient added to the congee.
- Tiết canh: (n) A related Vietnamese dish of raw blood pudding, sometimes mentioned in the same culinary context but is a different dish.
Synonyms
- Cháo gà: (n) Chicken congee. (A different type of congee, synonym only in the general "congee" category, not for the offal-specific meaning.)
- For the slang meaning: Sợ vãi linh hồn, sợ xanh mặt (idioms for being terrified).
Related Phrases
- Ăn cháo lòng: (verb phrase) To eat pork offal congee.
- Chúng tôi thường ăn cháo lòng vào buổi sáng. (We often eat pork offal congee in the morning.)
Related Idioms
- (Không common idioms directly with "cháo lòng". The slang usage itself is a metaphorical idiom.)