nhờ nhợ
Definition
- Adjective (reduplicative form):
- Slightly sweet; having a hint of sweetness: Describes food or drink that has a mildly sweet taste, often in a way that is not strong, distinct, or particularly pleasant. It can imply an undesirable, cloying, or poorly balanced sweetness.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Canh cho đường nhờ nhợ khó ăn. (The soup is slightly/sickly sweet from the added sugar and is hard to eat.)
- Nước sốt này có vị nhờ nhợ, không hợp với món mặn. (This sauce has a faintly sweet taste, which doesn't suit the savory dish.)
- Ly cà phê ngọt nhờ nhợ. (The coffee is unpleasantly sweetish.)
Advanced Usage
- Descriptive nuance: The word "nhờ nhợ" often carries a negative connotation, suggesting the sweetness is bland, excessive, or inappropriate for the context. It is not used to describe a delicious or well-balanced sweetness.
Variants and Related Words
- Nhợ (adj): The root word, meaning blandly sweet or sickly sweet. "Nhờ nhợ" is the reduplicative form (láy), which intensifies or emphasizes the quality.
- Vị nhợ của món ăn. (The sickly sweet taste of the dish.)
Synonyms
- Cloying: Excessively sweet to the point of being unpleasant.
- Sickly sweet: Sweet in a way that causes slight disgust or discomfort.
- Faintly sweet: Having a mild, often indistinct, sweetness.
Related Idioms
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xem nhợ (láy)
