Definition

1. Adjective (idiomatic, colloquial):
   • To be passably skilled; to have just learned the basics: Used primarily to describe someone who has recently learned how to play chess (cờ) and has attained a basic, acceptable level of skill. It implies a novice level of competence that is just good enough to play.
   • To be passably attractive; to be fairly pretty: When used to describe a young woman or girl, it means she is reasonably pleasant to look at or fairly pretty.

Usage Examples

• Referring to skill (in chess):
  • Nó mới học được một tháng nhưng cũng sạch nước rồi. (He just learned for a month but is now passably skilled.)
• Referring to appearance:
  • Cô bé hàng xóm mới lớn, trông cũng sạch nước. (The neighbor's girl has grown up and looks fairly pretty.)

Advanced Usage

• The idiom is often used in a mildly praising or acknowledging tone, but it does not indicate high proficiency or great beauty. It denotes a "just good enough" or "passable" standard.

Variants and Related Words

• Sạch nước cản (adj, colloquial): An intensified form with the same core meanings (passably skilled, fairly pretty). The addition of "cản" does not significantly alter the meaning but adds emphasis to the colloquial tone.
  • Thằng đó chơi cờ sạch nước cản đấy. (That guy plays chess at a passable level.)

Synonyms

• Passable: Adequate, acceptable, just good enough.
• Novice-level: Having basic competence.
• Fairly good-looking: Reasonably attractive.

Related Idioms

• While "sạch nước" is a standalone idiom, it is conceptually related to other Vietnamese phrases that use "sạch" (clean) to metaphorically indicate a state of being "clear" or "settled" in a particular context, though not directly synonymous.

1. Have just learned how to play chess