tươm
Definition
Adjective:
- Neat, tidy, presentable: Describes something that is arranged or appears in a satisfactory, orderly, and decent manner.
- Adequate, decent, proper: Indicates something is of acceptable quality or standard, good enough for its purpose.
Adjective (regional/extended usage):
- To ooze or seep abundantly: Describes a liquid, often blood, flowing or trickling out steadily and copiously.
- Tattered, in shreds (in the reduplicated form "tươm tươm" or with "ra"): Describes clothing that is ragged or torn into strips.
Usage Examples
- Adjective (Neat/Decent):
- Cô ấy ăn mặc rất tươm. (She dresses very neatly/properly.)
- Mâm cơm bày biện tươm tất. (The meal is laid out tidily/adequately.)
- Adjective (Oozing):
- Vết thương tươm máu. (The wound is oozing blood abundantly.)
- Adjective (Tattered):
- Quần áo tươm ra. (The clothes are in tatters.)
Advanced Usage
- "tươm tươm": A reduplicated form that can have two distinct meanings:
- Fairly decent, passable: An attenuated sense of the main meaning.
- Căn phòng trông cũng tươm tươm. (The room looks fairly decent.)
- In tatters, ragged: Emphasizes a state of being torn.
- Áo quần tươm tươm vì bị cào. (The clothes were in tatters from being scratched.)
Variants and Related Words
- Tươm tất (adj): Thorough, complete, neat and proper in every detail.
- Công việc đã được chuẩn bị tươm tất. (The work has been prepared thoroughly.)
Synonyms
- Neat: tidy, orderly.
- Decent: presentable, proper, adequate.
- Ooze: seep, trickle, exude.
- Tattered: ragged, shredded.
Related Idioms
- Ăn mặc tươm: To be dressed decently/presentably.
- Đi dự tiệc phải ăn mặc cho tươm. (You must dress properly to attend the party.)