dở miệng

dở miệng

Bé bị ốm nên rất dở miệng, không chịu ăn gì cả.

Definition

  1. Adjective:

    • Having a poor appetite, not eating well: Describes a state where someone has little desire to eat, finds food unappetizing, or eats very little.
    • Having a bad taste in the mouth, causing loss of appetite: Can refer to a physical sensation, such as an unpleasant taste or feeling in the mouth that makes one not want to eat.

  2. Idiomatic Expression:

    • To have one's appetite spoiled, to be put off one's food: Used figuratively to describe a situation where something unpleasant (like bad news, a sight, or a smell) causes a sudden loss of appetite.
Usage Examples

  • Adjective:

    • Bé bị ốm nên rất dở miệng, không chịu ăn gì cả. (The child is sick so he has a very poor appetite and refuses to eat anything.)
    • Cảm giác dở miệng buổi sáng khiến tôi bỏ bữa. (The feeling of having no appetite in the morning made me skip breakfast.)

  • Idiomatic Expression:

    • Nghe câu chuyện đó xong, tôi thấy dở miệng không muốn ăn nữa. (After hearing that story, I felt my appetite was spoiled and didn't want to eat anymore.)
    • Mùi từ phòng thí nghiệm làm mọi người dở miệng. (The smell from the laboratory put everyone off their food.)
Advanced Usage
  • Used to describe a temporary state: Often describes a temporary condition due to illness, weather, or an external factor, rather than a permanent trait.
    • Trời nóng quá khiến ai cũng thấy dở miệng. (The weather is so hot that everyone feels they have no appetite.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Ăn không ngon miệng: (Verb phrase) To eat without finding the food tasty; to have a meal without enjoyment.
    • Mệt mỏi khiến cô ấy ăn không ngon miệng. (Fatigue made her eat without enjoyment.)
  • Chán ăn: (Adjective) Anorexic; having a prolonged or severe lack of appetite. This is a stronger, more clinical term.
    • Chứng chán ăn là một rối loạn nghiêm trọng. (Anorexia is a serious disorder.)
Synonyms
  • Kém ăn: (Adjective) Eating poorly; having a reduced intake of food.
  • Biếng ăn: (Adjective) Reluctant to eat; often used for children who are picky eaters.
Related Idioms
  • "Nghe dở miệng" / "Nhìn dở miệng": Literally "to hear/spoil the appetite" or "to see/spoil the appetite". These are extensions of the core idiom.
    • Cảnh tượng trong phim tài liệu nhìn dở miệng quá. (The scenes in the documentary were so off-putting they spoiled my appetite.)