mẳn
Definition
Adjective:
- Finely broken or small-grained: Describes rice or grains that have been broken into very small pieces, smaller than regular broken rice.
- Petty or narrow-minded: Describes a person's character as mean-spirited, stingy, or prone to holding grudges over small matters.
Noun:
- A type of salty fish soup: Refers to a specific soup or broth dish, typically made with fish and seasoned to be distinctly salty.
Usage Examples
- Adjective (Physical Quality):
- Gạo xay bị mẳn, không thể nấu cơm được. (The milled rice is finely broken and cannot be used to cook regular rice.)
- Adjective (Character Trait):
- Tính nó hơi mẳn, hay để bụng chuyện nhỏ. (His character is a bit petty; he often holds onto minor grievances.)
- Noun (Dish):
- Bà nội thường nấu món mẳn cá vào mùa đông. (My grandmother often cooks salty fish soup in the winter.)
Advanced Usage
- "măn mẳn": A reduplicated form used as an adverb or adjective meaning slightly salty.
- Nước canh nêm măn mẳn vừa miệng. (The soup is seasoned to be perfectly, slightly salty.)
Variants and Related Words
- Tấm mẳn (n): Very fine broken rice grains.
- Bánh đúc thường được làm từ tấm mẳn. (Rice cakes are often made from fine broken rice.)
Synonyms
- Finely broken: For the grain quality.
- Petty: For the character trait.
- Salty soup: For the dish.
Related Idioms
- Tính mẳn: A petty/narrow-minded character.
- Đừng có tính mẳn, hãy rộng lượng lên một chút. (Don't be so petty; be a little more generous.)