mát
Adjective:
- Cool (temperature): A pleasant, moderately low temperature that provides relief from heat. It describes weather, wind, or objects that are not warm.
- Fresh / Refreshing: Describes something that provides a pleasant, invigorating, and cool sensation, often related to air, food, or drink.
- Cooling (effect): Describes the property of something (like food, medicine, or fabric) that induces a sensation of coolness in the body.
Adjective (figurative):
- Sarcastic / Bitingly sweet: Describes speech or a tone that is subtly mocking, scornful, or ironically sweet, often carrying hidden criticism or anger.
Adjective (colloquial, measurement):
- Slightly short / Light: Used in market contexts to indicate a weight that is just under the stated amount.
Adjective (temperature/feeling):
- Sáng nay trời mát. (It is cool this morning.)
- Cơn gió mát thổi qua. (A cool breeze blew by.)
- Uống nước dừa cho mát. (Drink coconut water to feel cool.)
Adjective (figurative):
- Cô ấy nói câu rất mát. (She made a very sarcastic remark.)
Adjective (measurement):
- Cân bị mát một lạng. (The scale is short by one lạng [a traditional unit].)
"mát mẻ": pleasantly cool and fresh (reduplication for emphasis).
- Thời tiết miền Bắc vào thu thật mát mẻ. (The weather in the North in autumn is truly pleasant and cool.)
"mát rượi" / "mát lạnh": very cool, refreshingly cold.
- Nước suối mát rượi. (The stream water is ice-cold and refreshing.)
"mát mặt": to feel pleased, proud, or have one's honor satisfied (idiomatic).
- Con thi đỗ làm bố mẹ mát mặt. (The child passing the exam made the parents proud.)
Mát tay (adj): literally "cool hands"; describes a person who is skilled or has a lucky touch, often in gardening, healing, or business.
- Bà ấy trồng cây rất mát tay. (She has a very lucky/green thumb for planting trees.)
Làm mát (v): to cool down, to make something cool.
- Quạt để làm mát phòng. (The fan is to cool down the room.)
- Cool: for temperature.
- Fresh / Refreshing: for air or sensation.
- Sarcastic / Caustic: for speech.
- Short / Underweight: for measurement.
Ăn cho mát (Eat for coolness): An ironic or sarcastic retort, equivalent to "Save your breath" or "Talk to the hand," dismissing someone's talkative or critical remarks.
- Anh cứ nói đi, tôi nghe cho mát. (You just keep talking, I'll listen for "coolness" [i.e., I'm not taking it seriously].)
Cười mát: to give a scornful, sarcastic, or cold smile.
- Cô ấy chỉ cười mát rồi bỏ đi. (She just gave a scornful smile and left.)
- cool ; fresh
- sáng này trời mátIt is cool this morning
- mát rượivery cool