trừ bữa

Ăn khoai lang trừ bữa vào buổi trưa.

Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To substitute for a meal: The primary meaning of "trừ bữa" is to eat something as a replacement for a proper, full meal, often due to necessity or lack of food.
   • To serve as a makeshift meal: It describes consuming a specific food item (often a snack or a less substantial food) in place of a regular, cooked meal like rice.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Chúng tôi không có gạo, phải ăn khoai lang trừ bữa. (We had no rice, so we had to eat sweet potatoes to substitute for a meal.)
  • Buổi trưa bận quá, tôi chỉ ăn tạm mì gói trừ bữa. (I was too busy at noon, so I just ate instant noodles as a makeshift meal.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is often used to describe a situation of scarcity, haste, or improvisation. It implies that the substitute food is not the normal or desired choice for a main meal.

Variants and Related Words

• Ăn qua bữa (verb phrase): to eat something to get through the meal, emphasizing just managing or coping.
• Ăn tạm (verb phrase): to eat something temporarily or provisionally.

Synonyms

• To replace a meal: To use something as a substitute for a proper meal.
• To make do for a meal: To manage with an alternative food item.

Related Idioms

• Ăn lấy hơi: To eat just a little to stave off hunger (often even less substantial than "trừ bữa").
• Chữa cháy bụng: To "put out the fire" in one's stomach; to eat something quickly to relieve hunger.