Definition

1. Adjective (Colloquial):
   • To be extremely drunk; to be completely inebriated: Describes a state of severe intoxication from alcohol, beyond just being tipsy or moderately drunk. It implies a loss of control or coherence.
   • To be sozzled; to be as drunk as a lord: An idiomatic English equivalent emphasizing a high degree of drunkenness.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Sau bữa tiệc, anh ta say mèm và không thể tự về nhà. (After the party, he was sozzled and couldn't get home by himself.)
  • Ông ấy uống rượu mạnh và nhanh chóng say mèm. (He drank strong liquor and quickly became as drunk as a lord.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in informal, narrative contexts to vividly describe a character's state. It carries a stronger connotation than the standard word "say" (drunk).

Variants and Related Words

• Say (adj): drunk, intoxicated. This is the standard, less intense term.
  • Anh ấy hơi say sau hai ly bia. (He is a little drunk after two beers.)
• Say xỉn (adj): drunk, inebriated. Similar to "say mèm" but can be slightly less intense.
  • Họ về nhà trong tình trạng say xỉn. (They went home in a drunken state.)

Synonyms

• Blotto: very drunk.
• Wasted: severely intoxicated.
• Plastered: extremely drunk.

Related Idioms

• Say khướt: another colloquial term for being very drunk, often interchangeable with "say mèm."
  • Cuộc nhậu kết thúc với vài người say khướt. (The drinking session ended with several people being completely plastered.)

1. Be sozzled; be as drunk as a lord