Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Slightly sticky and dirty, unpleasantly moist and grimy: Describes a state where something is not only dirty but also has a sticky, damp, or greasy quality that feels unpleasant to the touch. It often implies a lack of cleanliness that is visually and tactilely off-putting.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Sau trận mưa, mặt đường nhơm nhớp bùn đất. (After the rain, the road surface was sticky and dirty with mud.)
  • Đừng chạm vào cái bàn đó, nó nhơm nhớp dầu mỡ. (Don't touch that table; it's greasy and grimy.)
  • Tay nó nhơm nhớp mồ hôi. (His/Her hands were unpleasantly clammy with sweat.)

Advanced Usage

• Used to describe abstract feelings: Can be used metaphorically to describe a situation or memory that feels morally "dirty," "slimy," or unpleasant.
  • Câu chuyện đó để lại trong tôi một cảm giác nhơm nhớp khó tả. (That story left me with an indescribably grimy feeling.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nhớp (adj): The root word, meaning dirty, filthy, or greasy. "Nhơm nhớp" is a reduplicative form (từ láy) that intensifies or emphasizes the unpleasant, moist stickiness.
  • Chiếc áo nhớp mồ hôi. (The shirt was sweaty and grimy.)

Synonyms

• Dơ bẩn: Dirty, filthy.
• Nhớp nháp: Slimy, sticky, and dirty (very similar in meaning).
• Ướt át và bẩn thỉu: Wet and filthy.

Notes on Meaning

• The word strongly conveys a sensory experience, combining touch (stickiness, dampness) and sight (dirtiness). It is more specific than simply "dirty" (bẩn).
• It is often used for substances like mud, grease, sweat, or food residue that create a clinging, unclean surface.

1. xem nhớp (láy)