mùi khét

Có mùi khét bốc lên từ chiếc chảo trên bếp.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • The smell of burning; a burnt smell; a scorched smell: An unpleasant odor produced when organic matter, especially food, fat, or other materials, is overheated, charred, or burned.
   • The smell of overheating: A distinct, often acrid smell arising from something being excessively heated, even if not fully charred, such as from an electrical fault or overheated machinery.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Có mùi khét trong bếp. (There is a burnt smell in the kitchen.)
  • Mùi khét của lốp xe lan tỏa khắp đường. (The smell of burning tires spread across the road.)
  • Tôi ngửi thấy mùi khét từ máy tính. (I smell an overheating odor from the computer.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "mùi khét" often implies a specific type of burning related to cooking oils, fats, plastics, or rubber, rather than the smell of a large, open wood fire.
• It can be used metaphorically to describe a situation that has gone wrong or become problematic, similar to "the smell of trouble" or "something smelling fishy," though this is less common.

Variants and Related Words

• Khét (adj): burnt, scorched.
  • Bánh mì bị khét. (The bread is burnt.)
• Mùi cháy (n): smell of fire/burning. This is a more general term for the smell of something burning or burned.
• Khói (n): smoke. (The visible product of burning, often accompanied by .)

Synonyms

• Burnt smell / odor
• Scorched smell
• Acrid smell (when emphasizing irritation)
• Smell of overheating

Related Idioms

• Khét như mùi cháy nhà: (Lit: Burnt like the smell of a house fire) Used to emphasize something is very obviously burnt or a situation is very obviously bad.
  • Món cá này khét như mùi cháy nhà. (This fish is burnt to a crisp.)
• Có mùi khét lẹt: Suggests a faint, suspicious, or problematic smell/sign.
  • Vụ làm ăn đó có mùi khét lẹt. (That business deal has a fishy smell to it.)