mẩy
Definition
- Adjective:
- Plump and firm; well-filled: Used to describe grains, seeds, or fruits that are full, substantial, and not shriveled. It indicates good quality and nourishment.
- (Archaic/Rare) Pertaining to the body: An older, less common usage referring to the physical body or flesh.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Những hạt lúa này rất mẩy. (These rice grains are very plump and full.)
- Quả xoài chín cây, hạt nhỏ và cơm mẩy. (The tree-ripened mango has a small seed and firm, plentiful flesh.)
- Đau mình đau mẩy. (To ache all over one's body. [Idiomatic/Archaic])
Advanced Usage
- The term is primarily used in agricultural or culinary contexts to assess the quality of produce. Its use relating to the human body is now largely confined to fixed, idiomatic expressions.
Variants and Related Words
- Mập mẩy (adj): Slightly plump or chubby (often used for people, especially children, in an endearing way).
- Em bé có đôi tay mập mẩy. (The baby has slightly chubby hands.)
Synonyms
- Plump: Full and rounded in shape.
- Well-filled: Containing a good amount of substance.
- Stout: Solid and sturdy (for grains).
- Flesh (in the archaic bodily sense): The physical body.
Related Idioms
- Đau mình đau mẩy: An idiomatic expression meaning to ache all over, to have body aches. It preserves the archaic meaning of "mẩy" as "body."
- Sau buổi tập, tôi đau mình đau mẩy. (After the workout, I ached all over.)