Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Rough; harsh; rugged: "nhám" describes a surface that is not smooth, often feeling coarse or uneven to the touch. It can also describe a texture or quality that is grating or unrefined.
   • Gritty; abrasive: It can refer to a material's property of having small, hard particles, like sandpaper.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Bề mặt tường này còn rất nhám. (The surface of this wall is still very rough.)
  • Giấy nhám dùng để mài các bề mặt gỗ. (Sandpaper is used to sand wooden surfaces.)
  • Giọng nói của anh ấy nghe hơi nhám. (His voice sounds a bit harsh/raspy.)

Advanced Usage

• "nhám nhám": Slightly rough; having a mild, attenuated roughness.
  • Vải này nhám nhám nhưng vẫn khá dễ chịu. (This fabric is slightly rough but still quite comfortable.)
• Used to describe sensory experiences beyond touch, such as sound (a rough voice) or even abstract qualities like an unpolished manner.

Variants and Related Words

• Ráp: A synonym often used interchangeably with "nhám" to mean rough or coarse.
• Cá nhám: A compound word meaning "shark" (literally "rough fish"), derived from the rough skin of sharks.
• Giấy nhám: A compound noun meaning "sandpaper" or "emery paper".

Synonyms

• Xù xì: Uneven, rugged (often for surfaces).
• Gồ ghề: Bumpy, rugged (often for terrain).
• Thô: Coarse, crude.

Related Phrases

• Cảm giác nhám: A rough feeling/sensation.
  • Chiếc áo len mới có cảm giác nhám. (The new wool sweater has a rough feel.)
• Mài cho nhám: To sand/grind until rough.
  • Anh thợ mài cho nhám bề mặt trước khi sơn. (The craftsman sanded the surface until rough before painting.)

Notes on Meaning

• Primary Meaning: The core meaning relates to physical texture—a lack of smoothness.
• Extended Meaning: It can be applied metaphorically to describe sounds (a rough voice) or styles (an unpolished performance).
• Dialectal Note: "Nhám" is often considered a colloquial or dialectal variant of the more standard word "ráp".

adj

1. rough; harsh; rugged
   • giấy nhám
     emery paper