Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Extremely fragrant / Intensely aromatic: Describes something that emits a very strong, pervasive, and delightful smell. The phrase uses hyperbole, comparing the intensity of the fragrance to something so powerful it seems to "crack" or burst forth.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Hoa nhài nở đêm, thơm nứt cả khu vườn. (The night-blooming jasmine is intensely fragrant, perfuming the entire garden.)
  • Cơm mới nấu từ gạo mùa này thơm nứt mũi. (The freshly cooked rice from this season's grains is aromatically overwhelming [to the nose].)
  • Mùi bánh mì nướng thơm nứt không gian căn bếp nhỏ. (The smell of toasted bread richly scents the space of the small kitchen.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is often used in literary or vivid descriptive contexts to emphasize an exceptional, captivating aroma. It can describe natural scents (flowers, fruits, rice) or man-made ones (food, incense).

Variants and Related Words

• Thơm ngát (adj): very fragrant, sweet-smelling.
  • Cánh đồng hoa oải hương thơm ngát. (The lavender field is very fragrant.)
• Thơm phức (adj): having a strong, appetizing smell (often for food).
  • Phòng bếp thơm phức mùi bánh quy mới ra lò. (The kitchen is filled with the strong, delicious smell of freshly baked cookies.)

Synonyms

• Redolent: strongly smelling of something.
• Aromatic: having a pleasant and distinctive smell.
• Odoriferous: giving off a smell, especially a pleasant one.

Related Idioms

• Thơm nức mũi: an idiom with identical meaning and usage to "thơm nứt," emphasizing a smell so strong it fills the nose.
  • Món canh chua cá lóc của mẹ thơm nức mũi. (My mother's sour soup with snakehead fish has an incredibly appetizing aroma.)