Definition

1. Noun:
   • A small, savory taste or bite: A very small quantity of food, often something flavorful like a condiment or side dish, eaten to accompany plain rice or to make a meal more enjoyable.
   • A tidbit or morsel: A tiny amount of food taken to stimulate the appetite or to add flavor to a simple staple.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Bữa cơm nghèo chỉ có ít cá kho làm mắm miệng. (The poor meal had only a little braised fish as a savory bite.)
  • Ăn cơm nguội với mắm miệng. (To eat cold rice with a flavoring tidbit.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used to describe a humble or minimal accompaniment that provides essential flavor, highlighting a context of scarcity or simplicity in a meal.

Variants and Related Words

• Mắm môi (n): A direct synonym with identical meaning and usage.
  • Chỉ cần một chút mắm môi là ăn hết bát cơm. (Just a little savory morsel is enough to finish a bowl of rice.)

Synonyms

• Relish: A small, flavorful item eaten with plain food.
• Condiment: A substance used to add flavor to food.
• Morsel: A small piece or amount of food.

Related Idioms

• The word itself often appears in descriptive phrases about modest meals, rather than as part of a fixed idiomatic expression. It evokes the idea of "just enough flavor to get by."