Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Intensely fragrant; strongly and pleasantly penetrating (of a scent): Describes a fragrance that is powerfully diffused and very pleasing to the senses, often in a way that fills the air.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Mùi hoa nhài thơm lựng cả khu vườn. (The scent of jasmine fills the entire garden with a strong, pleasant fragrance.)
  • Căn bếp thơm lựng mùi bánh mới ra lò. (The kitchen is filled with the intensely delicious aroma of freshly baked bread.)

Advanced Usage

• "thơm lựng": This is the most common collocation, meaning "intensely fragrant" or "redolent." The word "lựng" is almost exclusively used in this fixed phrase to intensify the adjective "thơm" (fragrant).
  • Sau cơn mưa, mùi đất thơm lựng. (After the rain, the smell of the earth is richly fragrant.)

Variants and Related Words

• Lừng (adj): A variant with the same meaning, also used primarily in "thơm lừng."
  • Tiếng hát lừng lẫy. (A resounding, famous voice.) Note: "Lừng lẫy" is a different, more common word meaning "renowned" or "resounding."

Synonyms

• Redolent: strongly smelling of something.
• Fragrant: having a pleasant scent.
• Aromatic: having a strong, pleasant smell.
• Pungent (in a positive sense): having a sharply strong smell or taste.

Notes on Usage

• "Lựng" is a literary and somewhat old-fashioned word. In modern Vietnamese, it is rarely used alone and is almost always paired with "thơm" in the phrase "thơm lựng."
• It specifically describes a scent that is not just pleasant but also potent and pervasive, permeating a space.

1. xem thơm lựng