tưa
Definition
Noun:
- Oral thrush (in infants): A medical condition, specifically a type of fungal infection (Candida albicans), appearing as white patches on the tongue and mouth of newborns or infants, often causing difficulty in breastfeeding or sucking.
Adjective/Verb (in a worn state):
- Frayed / Tattered / To become frayed: Describes fabric, clothing, or material that is worn out, unraveling, or hanging in strips and threads.
Usage Examples
Noun (Medical):
- Em bé không bú được vì bị tưa. (The baby cannot breastfeed because of oral thrush.)
- Bác sĩ chẩn đoán cháu bị tưa lưỡi. (The doctor diagnosed the child with oral thrush.)
Adjective/Verb (Worn state):
- Mép vải đã tưa ra. (The edge of the fabric has frayed.)
- Anh ta mặc một chiếc áo tưa rách. (He is wearing a tattered, torn shirt.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "tưa" in its medical sense is almost exclusively used in the context of infant health. The phrase "tưa lưỡi" (thrush of the tongue) is a very common collocation.
- In its material sense, "tưa" often implies a state of disrepair from long use or poor quality, not just a single tear.
Variants and Related Words
- Tưa lưỡi (n): The specific and most common term for oral thrush affecting the tongue.
- Tưa ra (v): To fray, to become tattered (describing the process).
Synonyms
- For the noun (medical): Oral candidiasis, thrush, mycotic stomatitis.
- For the adjective/verb (material): Frayed, tattered, ragged, unraveled.
Related Idioms
- While not a standalone idiom, the descriptive phrase "tưa tả" is an intensified form meaning "completely tattered" or "in shreds."
- Cánh buồm tưa tả sau cơn bão. (The sail was in tatters after the storm.)