Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Slightly sour, sourish, somewhat acid: "nhôn nhốt" describes a taste that is mildly sour or tart, not intensely so. It often refers to the unripe or not fully sweet state of certain fruits.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Bưởi nhôn nhốt. (The pomelo is sourish.)
  • Quả xoài này còn nhôn nhốt, chưa ăn được. (This mango is still sourish, not ready to eat.)
  • Vị nhôn nhốt của trái cây xanh. (The sourish taste of green fruit.)

Advanced Usage

• Describing Sensations: While primarily for taste, "nhôn nhốt" can be used metaphorically to describe a slight, tingling, or mildly unpleasant sensation, similar to a slight sourness.
  • Cảm giác nhôn nhốt nơi đầu lưỡi. (A sourish tingling sensation on the tip of the tongue.)

Variants and Related Words

• Chua: (adj) Sour. This is the standard, stronger term for "sour".
• Chua lét: (adj) Very sour, sharply sour.
• Chua chua: (adj) Reduplicated form meaning "a bit sour", similar to "nhôn nhốt" but more common in some dialects.

Synonyms

• Chua nhẹ: Mildly sour.
• Lợm giọng: Can mean tart or causing a slight gag reflex (context-dependent).
• Aigrelet (French): Sourish, used in the historical Vietnamese-French dictionary reference.

Notes on Meaning

• Specificity: "Nhôn nhốt" is not a standard, strong "chua" (sour). It implies a level of sourness that is present but not dominant or pleasant, often associated with fruit that is not yet ripe.
• Regional/Literary Use: This word is considered somewhat descriptive and may be used more in certain regions or in literary contexts rather than everyday modern speech. The synonym "chua chua" is often used interchangeably in casual conversation.

1. Somethat sour,sourish, somewhat acid
   • Bưởi nhôn nhốt The pomelo is sourish