meo mốc
Definition
Adjective:
- Moldy / Mouldy: Covered with or containing mold, a type of fungus that grows on old food or damp surfaces, appearing as a fuzzy, often green, black, or white growth.
- Musty: Having a stale, damp smell characteristic of mold or lack of fresh air.
Adjective (figurative):
- Old and forgotten / Outdated: Used to describe something (like an idea, story, or item) that is very old, no longer relevant, or has been neglected for a long time.
Usage Examples
Adjective (literal):
- Bánh mì để lâu đã meo mốc hết. (The bread left for too long has become completely moldy.)
- Căn phòng kho chứa có mùi meo mốc. (The storage room has a musty smell.)
Adjective (figurative):
- Đó là một câu chuyện meo mốc, chẳng ai còn quan tâm. (That is an old, moldy story; no one cares anymore.)
- Những ý tưởng meo mốc đó không còn phù hợp. (Those moldy ideas are no longer suitable.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in a disapproving or dismissive way to criticize something as being antiquated or poorly maintained.
- It can describe abstract concepts, like traditions or policies, implying they are rotten or decayed from age and neglect.
Variants and Related Words
Mốc (adj): Moldy. This is the more common, root word for mold. "Meo mốc" is a reduplicative form that emphasizes the state.
- Cái bánh này bị mốc rồi. (This cake is moldy.)
Lên meo (v, colloquial): To become moldy.
- Thức ăn để tủ lạnh lâu ngày dễ lên meo. (Food left in the fridge for a long time easily becomes moldy.)
Synonyms
- Moldy / Mouldy: Covered with mold.
- Musty: Having a damp, stale smell.
- Decayed: Rotten or decomposed.
- Antiquated: Old-fashioned or obsolete.
Related Idioms and Phrases
Cũ meo cũ mốc: An intensified phrase meaning "very old and moldy," used for both objects and ideas.
- Mấy cuốn sách cũ meo cũ mốc trong gác xép. (Those very old and moldy books in the attic.)
Đồ meo mốc: A derogatory term for old, worthless things.
- Đừng giữ mấy thứ đồ meo mốc ấy nữa. (Don't keep those moldy old things anymore.)