lăm tăm
Definition
- Adjective:
- Bubbling gently / forming tiny bubbles: Describes the initial stage of boiling where a liquid, typically water, begins to produce very small, fine air bubbles that rise to the surface. It indicates the liquid is very hot and on the verge of a full, rolling boil.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Nước trong ấm đã lăm tăm rồi. (The water in the kettle is already bubbling gently.)
- Chờ khi nước sủi lăm tăm thì cho rau vào. (Wait until the water is simmering with tiny bubbles before adding the vegetables.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is almost exclusively used to describe the visual state of a liquid, particularly water, as it is heated. It captures a specific, observable moment in the heating process.
Variants and Related Words
- Sôi (v): to boil (refers to the full, vigorous boiling state).
- Nước đã sôi. (The water is boiling.)
Synonyms
- Simmering: (to cook in liquid just below the boiling point, often with gentle bubbles).
- Bubbling gently: (forming small bubbles).
Related Idioms
- There are no common idioms directly using "lăm tăm". Its usage is primarily literal and descriptive.