Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Cool; cold (in temperature): Refers to an object, substance, or food that has lost its heat and reached a lower, often ambient, temperature.
   • Cooled; diminished (in emotion or enthusiasm): Describes a state where passion, zeal, or emotional intensity has decreased or faded.

2. Verb (less common):

   • To cool down; to become cold: The process of losing heat.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Cơm nguội khó ăn. (Cold rice is hard to eat.)
  • Hãy uống nước đun sôi để nguội. (Drink boiled water that has been allowed to cool.)
  • Nhiệt tình của anh ấy đã nguội đi. (His enthusiasm has cooled down.)

Advanced Usage

• In mechanical or technical contexts (dt.), "nguội" can refer to cold working or cold metalworking processes (e.g., - cold work, fitting work).
• The reduplicated form "nguội nguội" expresses a diminished degree, meaning "lukewarm" or "slightly cool."
  • Canh nguội nguội rồi. (The soup has become lukewarm.)

Variants and Related Words

• Để nguội (verb phrase): to let something cool down.
  • Bánh cần để nguội trước khi cắt. (The cake needs to cool down before being cut.)
• Nguội lạnh (adjective): cold and lifeless, often describing food or, metaphorically, emotions.
  • Trái tim nguội lạnh. (A cold heart.)

Synonyms

• Lạnh: cold (often colder than "nguội").
• Nguội lạnh: chilled, cold.
• Dịu đi (for emotions): to subside, to cool off.

Related Idioms and Expressions

• Công việc đến nguội mất: The work/job is going down the drain; it's becoming a mess or failing.
• Nguội đi: To cool off (emotionally).
  • Sau cuộc cãi vã, mọi thứ đã nguội đi. (After the argument, everything has cooled off.)

adj

1. cool; cold
   • cơm nguội
     cold rice