Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Very soft, mushy, or pulpy to the point of losing its original form: Describes a substance, especially food, that has become excessively soft, soggy, and formless, often due to being overcooked, overripe, or soaked.
   • Flaccid, limp: Can describe something that is very soft and lacking firmness or structure.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Trái chuối này chín quá nên đã nhèo ra. (This banana is so ripe it has become mushy.)
  • Mì ăn liền để lâu trong nước canh sẽ bị nhèo. (Instant noodles left too long in the broth will become soggy.)
  • Chiếc bánh mì bị nhúng nước trông nhèo nhèo. (The bread soaked in water looks all limp and soggy.)

Advanced Usage

• "nhèo nhèo" (reduplicative form): Used to emphasize the state of being very soft, mushy, or pulpy. It intensifies the meaning of .
  • Thịt kho lâu quá, nát nhèo nhèo rồi. (The braised meat has been cooked for too long; it's fallen apart and is very mushy.)
  • Giấy gói quà bị ướt, nhèo nhèo cả. (The gift wrapping paper got wet and is all soggy.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nhẽo (ph.): A variant pronunciation or form with the same core meaning as (soft, mushy). It is often listed as interchangeable in dictionaries.
  • Rau luộc quá lâu sẽ bị nhẽo. (Vegetables boiled for too long will become mushy.)
• Nát nhừ: Means "completely broken down/tender," often from cooking. It can be similar to but emphasizes disintegration into pieces rather than just softness.
• Ọp ẹp: Describes something that is wilted, flabby, or limp (e.g., a deflated ball, wilted vegetables), sharing the concept of lacking firmness.

Synonyms

• Mềm nhũn: Very soft and pulpy.
• Nát bét: Completely mashed or crushed (often implies a messier state than ).
• Ọp: Limp, flabby.

Notes on Meaning

• Primary Context: The word is most commonly applied to food (e.g., overcooked vegetables, overripe fruit, soggy bread) or malleable materials that have lost their integrity.
• Figurative Use: It is rarely used in abstract or figurative senses. Its meaning is concrete and descriptive of physical state.
• Negative Connotation: typically describes an undesirable state, as the loss of firmness is usually unwanted (e.g., no one wants soggy crackers or mushy noodles).

1. như nhẽo
2. nhèo nhèo (láy, ý tăng)
   • Thịt nát nhèo nhèo
     Very flaccid meat