lót dạ
Definition
- Verb (transitive):
- To have a light snack (to stave off hunger): To eat a small amount of food, typically before a main meal, to temporarily alleviate hunger.
- To have breakfast: Specifically, to eat an early morning meal.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Trước khi ăn trưa, chúng tôi ăn chút bánh để lót dạ. (Before lunch, we ate a little cake to stave off hunger.)
- Sáng nay tôi chỉ lót dạ bằng một ly sữa. (This morning, I only had a glass of milk for breakfast.)
- Mời anh lót dạ tạm với món này. (Please have a light snack with this dish for now.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often implies informality and simplicity. The food consumed is usually quick, convenient, and not a full, formal meal.
Variants and Related Words
- Điểm tâm (v): A more formal synonym specifically for having breakfast.
- Cả nhà cùng điểm tâm lúc 7 giờ. (The whole family has breakfast together at 7 o'clock.)
Synonyms
- To snack (lightly): To eat a small amount of food between meals.
- To break one's fast: To eat the first meal of the day.
- To tide over (hunger): To eat enough to temporarily stop feeling hungry.
Related Idioms
- Lòng tham không đáy, ăn lót dạ không no: An idiom meaning "greed is a bottomless pit; a snack cannot fill it," used to criticize insatiable greed.
- Hắn ta muốn chiếm đoạt tất cả, đúng là lòng tham không đáy, ăn lót dạ không no. (He wants to seize everything; it's true that greed is a bottomless pit.)