trả bữa
Definition
- Verb (Intransitive):
- To eat heartily after recovering from illness: Describes a person who, having recently recovered from sickness, begins to eat with a strong appetite and enjoyment, as if making up for meals missed during the illness.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Bé mới ốm dậy đang trả bữa. (The child, just recovered from illness, is eating heartily.)
- Cụ ấy khỏi bệnh và bắt đầu trả bữa. (He recovered from the sickness and started eating with gusto.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is almost exclusively used in a specific, colloquial context of post-illness recovery. It implies a positive return of health and appetite.
Variants and Related Words
- Lại bữa (v): A synonymous, less common variant with the same meaning.
- Ông ốm dậy, giờ lại bữa rồi. (He's recovered from illness and is now eating well again.)
Synonyms
- To regain one's appetite: To begin to desire food again after a period of not eating much.
- To eat with relish: To eat food with great enjoyment.
Notes on Usage
- "Trả bữa" is an informal, idiomatic expression. It is not used in formal medical contexts.
- The literal sense is "to pay back/recompense the meal," humorously suggesting the body is catching up on missed nourishment.
- It specifically refers to the period immediately following recovery, not a general state of having a good appetite.