Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Sunken, deeply recessed: Describes something that is deeply concave or hollowed inward, often implying a significant depth or degree of recession.
   • Very deep: Used to emphasize the great depth of something, often in a figurative sense.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Má cô ấy hoắm sau trận ốm. (Her cheeks were sunken after the illness.)
  • Cái giếng cũ sâu hoắm. (The old well is very deep.)
  • Đôi mắt hoắm sâu vì mệt mỏi. (Eyes deeply sunken from exhaustion.)

Advanced Usage

• Often used in combination with other adjectives (like "sâu" - deep) for emphasis, forming phrases like "sâu hoắm" (extremely deep).
  • Con đường phía trước tối và sâu hoắm. (The road ahead is dark and extremely deep.)
• Can describe abstract concepts to imply profundity or intensity.
  • Nỗi buồn hoắm trong lòng. (A sadness deep within the heart.)

Variants and Related Words

• Hõm (adj/verb): To be hollow, to dent. While similar, "hõm" can also be a verb (to make a dent) and may imply a shallower or more localized indentation than "hoắm".
  • Vỏ xe bị hõm. (The car tire is dented.)
• Lõm (adj): Concave, indented. A more general term for a sunken or recessed surface.
  • Mặt bàn bị lõm. (The table surface is indented.)

Synonyms

• Trũng: Sunken, low-lying (often used for larger areas like land).
• Sâu thẳm: Profound, abyssal (emphasizes depth, often figurative).

Notes on Usage

• "Hoắm" is primarily descriptive and is not typically used to form phrasal verbs or idioms on its own. Its core function is as an adjective.
• It carries a connotation of a noticeable, often pronounced, inward curve or depth. It is more vivid and intense than the more neutral "lõm".
• Commonly used in descriptive writing and speech to paint a vivid physical or emotional picture.

1. Sunken, deep
   • Má hoắm
     Sunken cheeks