Definition

1. Noun:
   • Spice / Seasoning / Condiment: A substance, such as salt, herbs, or spices, added to food to enhance its flavor, aroma, and overall taste.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Muối, tiêu, và tỏi là những gia vị cơ bản trong nấu ăn. (Salt, pepper, and garlic are basic seasonings in cooking.)
  • Món súp này cần thêm một chút gia vị. (This soup needs a little more seasoning.)
  • Cô ấy mua nhiều loại gia vị ở chợ. (She bought many types of spices at the market.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "gia vị" is a general, collective noun for flavor-enhancing substances. The specific English translation depends on the type:
  • Spices: Typically refer to dried seeds, fruits, roots, or bark (e.g., pepper, cinnamon, chili powder).
  • Seasonings: A broader term that includes spices, herbs, and salts used to season food.
  • Condiments: Often refer to substances added after cooking or at the table (e.g., fish sauce, soy sauce, mustard).

Variants and Related Words

• Nước mắm (n): Fish sauce, a quintessential Vietnamese liquid condiment.

  • Nước mắm pha là một loại gia vị chấm không thể thiếu. (Mixed fish sauce is an indispensable dipping condiment.)

• Bột ngọt / Mì chính (n): Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a common flavor enhancer.

  • Một số người không thích dùng bột ngọt làm gia vị. (Some people prefer not to use MSG as a seasoning.)

Synonyms

• Seasoning: A substance used to add flavor to food.
• Spice: An aromatic or pungent vegetable substance used to flavor food.
• Condiment: A substance such as salt, mustard, or relish used to flavor or complement food.
• Flavoring: A substance used to give a particular taste to food or drink.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Gia vị cuộc sống: The spice of life.

  • Những chuyến du lịch là gia vị cuộc sống của anh ấy. (Traveling trips are the spice of his life.)

• Thiếu gia vị: Literally "lacking seasoning"; can figuratively mean lacking excitement or flavor.

  • Bài thuyết trình đó thiếu gia vị. (That presentation lacked spice.)

noun

1. spice