Definition

1. Noun:
   • Mouth (of an animal): The body part used for eating and making sounds, typically used when referring to animals.
   • Mouth (of a person, informal/vulgar): Used to refer to a person's mouth, often in a crude, informal, or derogatory context. It can imply the person is talking too much or saying unpleasant things.
   • Opening, orifice: Can refer to the opening of certain objects.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Con chó ngậm xương trong mồm. (The dog holds the bone in its mouth.)
  • Đừng có mở mồm nói bậy. (Don't open your mouth to talk nonsense.)
  • Nó là đứa mồm loa mép giải. (He/She is a loudmouth.)
  • Cái ấm có mồm nhỏ. (The teapot has a small spout.)

Advanced Usage

• "Mồm năm miệng mười": To argue loudly and insistently; to speak over others in a quarrel.

  • Hai người họ cãi nhau mồm năm miệng mười. (The two of them argued, shouting over each other.)

• "Có mồm thì cắp, có nắp thì đậy": A saying meaning "If you have a mouth, bite (i.e., keep quiet); if you have a lid, cover (it)." It advises someone to be quiet or keep a secret.

  • Chuyện này đừng nói với ai, có mồm thì cắp có nắp thì đậy đấy. (Don't tell anyone about this, you should keep your mouth shut.)

• "Im mồm!": A very rude and forceful way to say "Shut up!"

  • Nó quát: "Im mồm lại ngay!" (He yelled: "Shut your mouth right now!")

Variants and Related Words

• Miệng (n): The standard, neutral word for "mouth" (of a person or animal). Mồm is often considered coarser than miệng.

  • Cô ấy mỉm cười bằng miệng. (She smiles with her mouth.)

• Mép (n): Lips, edge of the mouth. Often paired with mồm in idioms.

  • mồm loa mép giải (loudmouthed)

Synonyms

• Miệng: Mouth (standard term).
• Họng: Throat (refers to the internal passage).
• Khoang miệng: Oral cavity (medical/formal term).

Related Phrases

• Mở mồm: To open one's mouth (to speak).

  • Nó không dám mở mồm phản đối. (He didn't dare open his mouth to object.)

• Chua mồm: To have a sour taste in the mouth; (figuratively) to speak sarcastically or bitterly.

  • Ăn xoài xanh dễ bị chua mồm. (Eating green mango can make your mouth sour.)
  • Anh ta nói chuyện chua mồm lắm. (He speaks very sarcastically.)

Related Idioms

• Mồm loa mép giải: Describes a person who is a loudmouth, talks too much and too loudly.

  • Đừng nghe nó, nó chỉ là đứa mồm loa mép giải. (Don't listen to him, he's just a loudmouth.)

• Mồm nhà quan có gang có thép: Literally "The mouth of a mandarin has iron and steel." Means the words of a person in authority are powerful and unchangeable.

  • Sếp đã quyết định, mồm nhà quan có gang có thép rồi. (The boss has decided, his word is final.)

1. Mouth