Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Thirsty for milk (of a baby): Describes the state of a baby or young child who is hungry and wants to breastfeed or drink milk.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Em bé đang khóc vì khát sữa. (The baby is crying because it is thirsty for milk.)
  • Con khát sữa rồi, mẹ ơi! (I'm thirsty for milk, mom!)
  • Tiếng khóc khát sữa của trẻ sơ sinh rất dễ nhận ra. (The hungry cry of a newborn baby is very recognizable.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "khát sữa" is almost exclusively used to describe the natural hunger of infants and very young children for breast milk or formula. It is a specific, physiological state.
• It can be used metaphorically in literature or poetic language to describe an intense, fundamental desire or need for something nurturing, though this is less common.

Variants and Related Words

• Đói sữa: A near-synonym meaning "hungry for milk." While "khát sữa" emphasizes the thirst/desire, "đói sữa" emphasizes the hunger/need. They are often used interchangeably.
• Thèm bú: Means "to crave/desire to suckle." This phrase focuses more on the action of breastfeeding itself.

Synonyms

• Đói bụng (của trẻ con): Hungry (of a child). This is a more general term for hunger.
• Muốn bú: Wants to breastfeed.

Related Idioms

• Khát sữa mẹ: Literally "thirsty for mother's milk." This emphasizes the connection to breastfeeding and maternal nurturing. It can be used in a broader cultural sense to describe a longing for one's roots or origins.
  • Dù đi xa, anh ấy vẫn khát sữa mẹ quê hương. (Even though he is far away, he still yearns for the "mother's milk" of his homeland.)

1. Thirsty for milk (of a baby)