Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To begin to catch/contract a disease; to become infected (with an illness): Refers to the initial stage of falling ill, when a person starts to show signs of infection or sickness.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Trẻ em dễ nhuốm bệnh khi thời tiết thay đổi. (Children easily catch illnesses when the weather changes.)
  • Sau chuyến đi, anh ấy bắt đầu nhuốm bệnh. (After the trip, he began to fall ill.)
  • Cộng đồng lo ngại sẽ nhuốm bệnh từ ổ dịch mới. (The community is worried about contracting the disease from the new outbreak.)

Advanced Usage

• "nhuốm bệnh từ...": to contract a disease from...
  • Nhiều người nhuốm bệnh từ nguồn nước ô nhiễm. (Many people contracted the disease from the polluted water source.)
• The phrase often carries a slightly literary or formal tone and emphasizes the process of sick, not just the state of being sick.

Variants and Related Words

• Nhiễm bệnh (v): to be infected with a disease. This is a more common and direct synonym.
• Mắc bệnh (v): to have/contract a disease. Focuses more on the state of having the illness.
• Phát bệnh (v): for a disease to break out/manifest. Refers to symptoms appearing.
• Lây bệnh (v): to spread/catch a contagious disease. Emphasizes transmission.

Synonyms

• Nhiễm bệnh: to be infected.
• Mắc bệnh: to contract/have a disease.
• Lây bệnh: to catch a contagious disease.

Related Idioms/Phrases

• Nhuốm màu (v): to be tinged/tinted with (a color); figuratively, to take on a certain character or mood (e.g., - to become gloomy).
  • While structurally similar, this idiom is used for abstract qualities, not for physical sickness.

1. Begin to catch (to contract) a disease