thum thủm
Definition
- Adjective:
- Slightly smelly / somewhat foul-smelling: Describes a mild, unpleasant odor, often of something beginning to spoil or rot. It indicates a smell that is offensive but not overwhelmingly strong.
- Rank / musty: Can describe a stale, damp, or moldy smell.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Cái tủ lạnh này có mùi thum thủm. (This refrigerator has a slightly foul smell.)
- Khoai sọ thối có mùi thum thủm. (Rotten taro has a somewhat foul odor.)
- Phòng để đồ cũ ngửi thum thủm. (The storage room smells musty.)
Advanced Usage
- The word "thum thủm" is often used to describe the initial or mild stage of decay, where an odor is perceptible and unpleasant but not yet overpowering. It is more colloquial than formal.
Variants and Related Words
- Thum thỉm: A less common variant with the same meaning.
- Thối (adj): Rotten, putrid; describes a much stronger and more offensive smell than "thum thủm."
- Hôi (adj): Smelly, stinking; a general term for bad odor.
Synonyms
- Fetid: Smelling extremely unpleasant.
- Musty: Having a stale, damp smell.
- Rank: Having a strong, unpleasant smell.
- Rancid: Smelling unpleasant because of being old and stale (often for oils/fats).
Related Idioms
- While "thum thủm" itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, it is used descriptively within phrases to characterize smells.
- Mùi thum thủm của rác (The slightly rotten smell of garbage.)