Definition

1. Noun:
   • The five tastes: "Ngũ vị" refers to the five fundamental flavors in traditional Vietnamese and East Asian culinary and medicinal philosophy. These are typically salty, bitter, astringent, spicy, and sweet.
   • A set of five different kinds: In a broader sense, it can refer to any assortment of five different items, especially in contexts like a selection of five types of jam or preserves.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Món ăn này cân bằng hài hòa ngũ vị. (This dish harmoniously balances the five tastes.)
  • Quầy hàng bán một hộp ngũ vị mứt trái cây. (The stall sells a box of assorted fruit jams [literally: five-flavor fruit jams].)

Advanced Usage

• "Ngũ vị hương": This is a compound term meaning "five-spice powder," a common spice blend in Asian cuisine. It is a specific application of the concept.
  • Tôi dùng ngũ vị hương để ướp thịt. (I use five-spice powder to marinate the meat.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngũ (numeral): Five.
• Vị (noun): Taste, flavor, or position.
• Ngũ vị hương (noun): Five-spice powder (a specific spice blend).

Synonyms

• Năm mùi: Another way to say "the five tastes" (mặn, đắng, chát, cay, ngọt).
• Năm vị: Literally "five flavors," a less common but understandable synonym.

Related Phrases

• Đầy đủ ngũ vị: Having all five flavors; complete in taste.
  • Món canh chua này đầy đủ ngũ vị. (This sour soup has all five flavors.)

Related Idioms

• Ngũ vị trần gian: Literally "the five flavors of the mortal world," used metaphorically to describe the full spectrum of life's experiences (sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, salty).
  • Cuộc đời anh ấy đã nếm trải ngũ vị trần gian. (His life has tasted all the flavors of the mortal world.)

1. the five tastes