Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To begin to steam; to emit vapor: Describes the process where a substance, typically a hot liquid or food, starts to release visible steam or vapor due to heat.
   • To become effervescent; to start fermenting: Used to describe the initial stage of fermentation in foods or beverages, where gas bubbles begin to form.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Nồi canh nóng đang lên hơi. (The hot soup pot is steaming.)
  • Mẻ rượu để vài ngày đã bắt đầu lên hơi. (The batch of wine, left for a few days, has started to ferment.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is often used in culinary and traditional food preparation contexts to indicate a desired state of readiness or active fermentation.

Variants and Related Words

• Bốc hơi (v): to evaporate.
  • Nước trong chảo đang bốc hơi. (The water in the pan is evaporating.)

Synonyms

• To steam: to give off steam or vapor.
• To ferment: to undergo fermentation.

Related Idioms

• While "lên hơi" itself is a descriptive phrase, it is sometimes used figuratively to imply something is becoming active or lively, similar to "gaining steam" in English, though this is less common.