ung độc
Definition
- Noun:
- A malignant ulcer or abscess: A serious, infected sore or boil, often implying a deep-seated, harmful infection or lesion.
- A festering wound or tumor: A swollen, inflamed area on the body containing pus, typically caused by infection.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Vết thương không được chữa trị đã biến thành một ung độc. (The untreated wound turned into a malignant ulcer.)
- Các thầy thuốc cổ truyền có nhiều bài thuốc chữa các loại ung độc. (Traditional physicians have many remedies for various kinds of abscesses.)
Advanced Usage
- This term is considered literary or somewhat rare in modern Vietnamese. It often describes a severe physical affliction and can be used metaphorically to represent a deep-seated, corrupting problem within an organization or society.
- Tham nhũng là một ung độc trong lòng xã hội. (Corruption is a festering sore within society.)
Variants and Related Words
- Ung nhọt (n): A more common synonym meaning a boil, abscess, or tumor. "Ung độc" is often defined as being equivalent to this term.
- Trên da anh xuất hiện một cái ung nhọt. (A boil appeared on his skin.)
Synonyms
- Abscess: A swollen area within body tissue containing pus.
- Ulcer: An open sore on an external or internal surface of the body.
- Boil: A painful, pus-filled bump under the skin caused by infected hair follicles.
Related Idioms
- While no common idioms use "ung độc" specifically, the concept is related to the idiom:
- Cái ung nhọt của xã hội: (The abscess of society) Used to describe a persistent, harmful social problem.
- Tệ nạn ma túy được coi là cái ung nhọt của xã hội. (Drug addiction is considered the abscess of society.)