rươm rướm
Definition
- Adjective:
- Wet with tears; tearful; moist (from crying): Describes eyes that are brimming with tears or a face that is visibly wet from crying. It emphasizes a state of being on the verge of crying or having just cried softly.
- Damp; moist (in a general, often unpleasantly clammy sense): Can describe something that is unpleasantly damp or soggy, though this usage is less common than the tear-related meaning.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Đôi mắt cô ấy rươm rướm nước mắt. (Her eyes were wet with tears.)
- Nghe câu chuyện thương tâm, bà cụ rươm rướm khóc. (Hearing the heartbreaking story, the old woman wept, her face wet with tears.)
- Tấm vải bị ẩm nên rươm rướm. (The fabric got damp and is unpleasantly moist.)
Advanced Usage
- Often used in literary or descriptive contexts to evoke a poignant, sad image of someone trying to hold back tears or crying quietly.
- It can imply a lingering state of sadness or moisture, not a sudden outburst of crying.
Variants and Related Words
- Rơm rớm (adj): This is a direct variant with an identical meaning: on the verge of tears, eyes moistening.
- Bé rơm rớm nước mắt khi bị mẹ mắng. (The child's eyes welled up with tears when scolded by his mother.)
Synonyms
- Tearful: Full of tears.
- Moist-eyed: Having eyes that are slightly wet.
- Damp: Slightly wet (for the general meaning).
Related Idioms
- Mắt rươm rướm: A common phrase meaning "tearful eyes."
- Cô ấy kể chuyện với đôi mắt rươm rướm. (She told the story with tearful eyes.)