sạch nước
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- 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.
- Have just learned how to play chess