trái mùi
Definition
- Adjective:
- Overripe / Rotten (of fruit): Describes fruit that has ripened excessively, often to the point of becoming soft, mushy, and starting to decay. This is the primary and most common meaning.
- Figurative - Past its prime / Spoiled: Used metaphorically to describe something that is no longer fresh, good, or useful; something that has deteriorated or gone bad.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Những quả xoài này đã trái mùi, không ăn được nữa. (These mangoes are overripe/rotten and can no longer be eaten.)
- Cá để lâu trong tủ lạnh bắt đầu trái mùi. (The fish left too long in the refrigerator is beginning to spoil/go bad.)
- Ý tưởng đó giờ đã trái mùi rồi. (That idea is now stale/past its prime.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is almost exclusively applied to organic matter, especially food, that has undergone spoilage due to natural ripening or decay processes. It emphasizes a state beyond ideal ripeness.
Variants and Related Words
- Hỏng (adj): spoiled, broken, ruined. A more general term for something that is no longer functional or good.
- Thối (adj): rotten, putrid. Often stronger than "trái mùi," specifically indicating decomposition and a foul smell.
- Chín nục (adj): pulpy-ripe, overripe (of fruit). A near-synonymous phrase, often used interchangeably with "trái mùi" for fruit.
Synonyms
- Overripe: Excessively ripe.
- Rotten: Decomposed or spoiled.
- Spoiled: No longer good for use.
- Stale: No longer fresh (often used figuratively).
Related Idioms
- While "trái mùi" itself is not commonly part of a fixed idiom, its concept relates to the Vietnamese idiom:
- "Cơm thiu, gạo mốc": (Sour rice, moldy rice) Meaning something is completely spoiled or a situation is bad and hopeless.