Definition

1. Verb:
   • To blow out, to puff out, to let out (air, gas, steam): "phì" describes the action of expelling air or gas in a short, often forceful burst, typically through a small opening or due to pressure.
   • To become fat, to put on flesh (in an unflattering way): "phì" can describe the state of becoming plump or obese, often with a negative connotation of being flabby or unattractively overweight.

Usage Examples

• Verb (to blow out):
  • Bánh xe ô tô phì hơi. (The car tyre let out air / got a puncture.)
  • Ấm nước sôi phì hơi nóng. (The boiling kettle puffed out hot steam.)
• Verb (to become fat):
  • Sau kỳ nghỉ, anh ấy trông phì hẳn ra. (After the holiday, he looks like he's put on a lot of flesh.)
  • Mặt cô ấy bắt đầu phì. (Her face is starting to become puffy/fat.)

Advanced Usage

• "phì phì" (reduplicative form): This form emphasizes a repeated, continuous, or vigorous action of puffing or blowing. It often describes the sound or motion of something expelling air/gas repeatedly.
  • Con heo thở phì phì. (The pig is puffing/breathing heavily.)
  • Nó cười phì phì. (He/she laughed with a puffing sound / chuckled heartily.)
• "phì ra": A common phrase meaning "to become fat" or "to puff out."
  • Ăn nhiều đồ ngọt dễ phì ra. (Eating a lot of sweets makes it easy to become fat.)

Variants and Related Words

• Phì phò (reduplicative): Similar to "phì phì," but can imply more effort or exhaustion, like panting or huffing and puffing.
  • Leo lên dốc, anh ấy thở phì phò. (Climbing the slope, he was huffing and puffing.)
• Phình (verb): To swell, to bulge. While "phì" is about expelling or becoming fat, "phình" focuses on the state of being swollen or inflated.
  • Cái túi phình to ra. (The bag bulged/swelled up.)

Synonyms

• Thổi (verb): To blow. (More general than "phì," which implies a specific burst or escape of air.)
• Béo ra, mập ra (verb phrase): To become fat. (More neutral terms for weight gain compared to the sometimes negative "phì.")

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Phì cười: To burst out laughing, to laugh so hard that one seems to puff out air.
  • Nghe câu chuyện ấy, tôi phì cười. (Hearing that story, I burst out laughing.)
• Phì khói: To puff out smoke.
  • Đầu máy xe lửa phì khói. (The train engine puffed out smoke.)

Related Idioms

• Phì nộn: (Literally: puffy and plump) An idiom describing someone who is very fat and flabby.
  • Sau tuổi trung niên, ông ta trở nên phì nộn. (After middle age, he became very fat and flabby.)
• Cười phì: Similar to "phì cười," meaning to guffaw, to laugh with a snort or puffing sound.
  • Cô ấy cười phì khi thấy bộ dạng của tôi. (She guffawed when she saw my appearance.)

1. Blow, send out, let out, puff out
   • Bánh xe phì hơi
     A car tyre sent out air, a car tyre got a puncture
   • Phì phì (láy, ý liên tiếp)
     Puff, puff
   • Phun nước phì phì
     To blow out water with puff after puff
2. Put on mush flesh