Definition

1. Verb:

   • To smudge; to blur; to run: To become or cause something to become unclear, indistinct, or spread out, typically because a wet substance (like ink, paint, or tears) spreads on a surface.
   • To be blurred; to be indistinct: For vision or an image to become unclear, often due to tears, rain, or poor focus.

2. Adjective:

   • Smudged; blurred; runny: Describing the state of something that is not clear or sharp, where lines or details have spread or merged.

Usage Examples

• Verb:

  • Mực bị nhòe vì nước mắt rơi vào trang nhật ký. (The ink smudged because tears fell on the diary page.)
  • Chữ trên tờ giấy ướt đã nhòe hết. (The writing on the wet paper has all blurred.)
  • Mắt tôi nhòe đi vì xúc động. (My eyes blurred with emotion.)

• Adjective:

  • Bức ảnh cũ có những vết nhòe. (The old photo has smudges.)
  • Nét chữ nhòe khiến tôi không đọc được. (The blurred handwriting made me unable to read it.)

Advanced Usage

• "làm nhòe": to cause to blur; to smudge.

  • Đừng chạm tay ướt vào, nó sẽ làm nhòe hình vẽ. (Don't touch it with wet hands, it will smudge the drawing.)

• "nhòe nhoẹt": (reduplicative) very smudged; messy and blurred.

  • Tờ giấy bị dính nước, chữ viết nhòe nhoẹt. (The paper got wet, and the writing is all messy and blurred.)

Variants and Related Words

• Lòe nhòe (adj): dim; faintly visible; blurred and unclear.

  • Ánh đèn từ xa trông lòe nhòe trong sương. (The light from afar looked dim in the fog.)

• Nhoè (v/adj): a common variant spelling and pronunciation of "nhòe" with the same meaning.

Synonyms

• Blur: To make or become unclear or indistinct.
• Smudge: To make a blurred mark or stain by smearing.
• Run: For a liquid line or color to spread unintentionally (e.g., ink runs).

Related Idioms and Expressions

• Nhòe mắt: (eyes) to blur; to be filled with tears so that vision is impaired.

  • Nghe tin ấy, bà cụ nhòe mắt. (Hearing that news, the old lady's eyes blurred with tears.)

• Nhòe hình, nhòe nét: for an image or features to become blurred; often used figuratively to describe a fading memory.

  • Ký ức về ngôi làng giờ đã nhòe nét trong tâm trí ông. (The memory of the village has now blurred in his mind.)